Attains

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /əˈteɪnz/

Definitions

1. To achieve a desired outcome or milestone through effort and perseverance
2. To successfully reach a particular goal or level by completing necessary steps
3. To arrive at a desired point or standard after work and dedication

Etymology: Before it meant reaching a goal through hard work, "attain" meant something far more physical: to come into contact with something, to touch it. The Latin verb "attingere" was built from "ad-", meaning toward, and "tangere", to touch, so its literal sense was to reach out and make contact. Latin speakers extended that sense to arriving at a place, and from there to getting hold of an outcome. The word passed into English from Old French "ataindre" (modern French "atteindre"), which itself came from Vulgar Latin "*attangere". Middle English "atteinen" and "atteynen" covered a startling range of meanings, including to reach a place, to overtake, to corrupt or taint, to overpower, and even to bring someone to justice. Many of these senses have since faded, leaving the modern idea of achieving something you have worked toward. "Attain" is a doublet of "attainder", a legal term for the forfeiture of property after a conviction, and of "attinge", which shows how one Latin verb split into several English words over the centuries.

Synonyms: achieves, reaches, acquires, obtains, gains

Antonyms: loses, fails, forfeits, misses, surrenders