attain meaning
attain :
to achieve, to reach
Verb
▪ She attained her goal of passing the exam.
▪ She achieved her goal of passing the exam.
▪ He attained a high level of skill.
▪ He achieved a high level of skill.
paraphrasing
▪ achieve – to reach
▪ reach – to get to
▪ accomplish – to complete
▪ secure – to obtain
Pronunciation
attain [əˈteɪn]
The stress is on the second syllable 'tain' and sounds like 'uh-tain'.
Common phrases and grammar about attain
attain - Common meaning
Verb
to achieve, to reach
Part of Speech Changes for "attain"
▪ attainment (noun) – the act of achieving something
▪ attainable (adjective) – able to be achieved
▪
▪
Common Expressions with "attain"
▪ attain a goal – achieve a target or objective
▪ attain success – achieve success
▪ attain a level – reach a certain level
▪ attain knowledge – achieve understanding or information
Important examples of attain in TOEIC
Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test
In TOEIC vocabulary questions, attain is usually used to mean 'achieve' or 'reach' a goal or target.
Example of a confusing word: obtain (to acquire)
Grammar examples from the TOEIC test
In TOEIC grammar questions, attain is used as a verb that can take an object and may be tested for correct verb forms.
attain
Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC
attain a goal
'achieve a target', used when talking about objectives in business
There are no unique idiomatic expressions commonly used with 'attain' in TOEIC Part 7 passages.
Differences between similar words and attain
attain
,
achieve
differences
'attain' is often used specifically for achieving something through effort, while 'achieve' can be used more broadly for various types of success.
attain
,
reach
differences
'attain' means to achieve something through effort, while 'reach' can mean physically getting to a place or state.
Words with the same origin as attain
The origin of attain
The word 'attain' comes from Old French and means to hold or achieve something.
Word structure
It is composed of the prefix 'at-' and the root 'tain' from Latin 'tenere' meaning to hold, so 'attain' means 'to hold onto' or 'achieve'.
Words with the same origin
The root of 'attain' is 'tain' (from Latin 'ten'). Words with the same root include maintain, obtain, retain, and sustain.
