English Reference
Noun

attainment

n. C / U
C1 Advanced US /əˈteɪnmənt/ UK /ɐtˈeɪnmənt/ at·tain·ment UK spelling attainment's, attainment's

n.the act of achieving something difficult or important. It can also mean the level of success or skill someone has reached.

n.the act of achieving a goal or reaching a specific standard. Often refers to educational or professional success reached through sustained effort.


SIMPLE

The school celebrates the high attainment of its students.

CONTEXTUAL

The government is introducing new measures to improve the educational attainment of children from low-income families.

COMPLEX

While natural talent plays a role, the attainment of true mastery in any discipline requires thousands of hours of deliberate practice and consistent feedback.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the general process of achieving; countable when referring to specific accomplishments or skills.

Research also shows that greater funding can not only lead to increased attendance and higher educational attainment , but also meaningful life outcomes beyond high school graduation.

The Conversation· 17 Aug 2026

PA crunched the numbers, looking at regional differences in grade attainment.

The Guardian· 13 Aug 2026

Common in education and history writing


From attain + -ment; compare Old French ataignement.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated