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verb

attain

to succeed in reaching a goal, level or condition, usually after effort

In a sentence

Six example sentences with attain, each labelled with its topic.

  • Few people attain real calm under pressure without years of practice in noticing their own thoughts.

    Psychology

  • It took him two years of training to attain the speed needed for the national team.

    Fitness

  • The colony did not attain full independence until 1962, after a long and costly war.

    History

  • The economy may attain full employment next year, with the jobless rate forecast to fall below three percent.

    Economics

  • Few pianists attain the rank of concert soloist before thirty, however many competitions they enter.

    Music

  • In the lab the metal must attain a temperature of nine hundred degrees before it starts to glow.

    Science

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Found in these word lists

Found in 2 published word listsAuthoritative

Each source is a published word list that contains attain. No exam board publishes an official GRE, GMAT or SAT list; GMAT words come from GRE lists and the Academic Word List.

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