1
as in to achieve
to obtain (as a goal) through effort
Napoléon had attained mastery of much of Europe at that point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to earn
to receive as return for effort
with hard work she will inevitably attain success in her chosen profession
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of attain
The show has had its ups and downs over the years but has attained the sturdiness of a cozy British mystery, the kind where bodies pile improbably high in otherwise charming villages and the format can, in theory, run forever.
—
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
These investors can and do make homeownership harder to attain, just as their critics claim.
—Alex Mayyasi, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025
Thus far, the most notable example of a trenchocrat attaining a high federal position is Artem Zhoga, who built his career in the ranks of anti-Ukrainian military units in the Donbas region.
—Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2025
According to new research published by Investopedia, the lifetime cost of attaining the traditional American Dream—including homeownership, retirement, raising children, a wedding, new cars, healthcare, pets, and annual vacations—now totals roughly $5 million.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attain
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
These investors can and do make homeownership harder to attain, just as their critics claim.
—Alex Mayyasi, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025
Thus far, the most notable example of a trenchocrat attaining a high federal position is Artem Zhoga, who built his career in the ranks of anti-Ukrainian military units in the Donbas region.
—Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2025
According to new research published by Investopedia, the lifetime cost of attaining the traditional American Dream—including homeownership, retirement, raising children, a wedding, new cars, healthcare, pets, and annual vacations—now totals roughly $5 million.
—Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for attain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for attain
Verb
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The future belongs to those who can integrate technological capability with human wisdom, creating something greater than either could achieve alone.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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Developed by researchers from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), the new material achieves record-high thermoelectric performance.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Bueckers earned 70 of 72 votes, with Washington’s Sonia Citron receiving the remaining two.—
Roberta F. Rodrigues,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Razorbacks won the toss and will receive.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
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The founders of Ssense have won round one in their battle with their creditors, allowing the company to remain in the hands of chief executive officer Rami Atallah and his brothers Firas and Bassel, who are fighting to remain in business and restructure the company’s operations.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As a result, customers gained 5% more usable capacity on FlashArray and 6% more usable capacity on FlashBlade through a nondisruptive software upgrade.—
Thomas Coughlin,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Arkansas gained 333 yards and gave up 301 yards in a defenseless first half.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Try ordering or making your matcha unsweetened to reap the most health benefits.—
Claire Bugos,
Verywell Health,
17 Sep. 2025
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Retailers also are in a position to reap the benefits of lower interest rates.—
Rohit Arora,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Department of Education's Office watchdog is launching an investigation into the agency's sensitive data systems, according to a letter first obtained by ABC News.—
Arthur Jones II,
ABC News,
19 Sep. 2025
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After obtaining data, the group demanded that the victims pay hefty ransoms or see their confidential data published or sold.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The two did not go without displaying PDA while posing for photos on the carpet, Blanco planting sweet kisses on Gomez's cheek, which garnered a beaming response from the Only Murders in the Building actress, who is nominated for Best Comedy Series at the awards ceremony.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
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The result—a gleaming-white minimalist interior that Kraus said was inspired by Leonard Cohen’s house on the Greek island of Hydra—garnered coverage in design blogs.—
Clare Malone,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That irritation makes the airway more twitchy, more inflamed and prone to narrow.—
Bill Frist,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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Overall, aspirin makes the environment more challenging for cancer to get a foothold in, particularly for people with the genetic makeup predisposed to dysregulated cell function, where cancer cell growth and division is more likely.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Attain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/attain. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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