Attainable describes something that can be achieved or reached with effort. It implies feasibility and realistic goals, rather than distant or aspirational aims. The term is often used to frame objectives as within reach, balancing ambition with practicality. It’s commonly applied in planning, evaluations, and motivational contexts.
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"We set attainable targets for the project to keep the team motivated."
"Training programs should offer attainable milestones to avoid frustration."
"The researchers identified an attainable rate of improvement given current resources."
"Parents want attainable expectations for their children’s early academic development."
Attainable originates from Middle English attainen, from Old French atteindre, meaning to reach or to touch, ultimately from Latin atinere ‘to hold toward’ (ad + tenere, ‘to hold’). The form attained its current adjective ending -able through the general English productive suffix -able, which forms adjectives meaning capable of, or susceptible to. The root idea is “to reach” or “to achieve” something physically or figuratively. The word evolved through semantic expansion from concrete physical reach to abstract achievement, as in attaining a goal or a status. First known use in the 15th century appears in legal and logistical contexts, later broadening to everyday usage in the 17th–19th centuries as education, work, and self-improvement discourse popularized the notion of feasible objectives. In modern usage, attainable is a common descriptor in planning, performance reviews, and personal development discussions, always emphasizing feasibility balanced with ambition.
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Words that rhyme with "attainable"
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Say /əˈteɪ.nə.bəl/ (US/UK) with the primary stress on the second syllable: a-tTAY-nuh-bəl. Start with a neutral schwa in the first syllable, then the long A vowel in -tay-, followed by a weak, unstressed -nə-, and finish with a light /bəl/ approximating ‘bull’ without extra emphasis. Visualize your mouth opening for /ə/, then widening for /teɪ/, a soft /n/ before a quick /ə/ and an unstressed /l/ with a light /b/ onset.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (e.g., /əˈtɛn.jə.bəl/ with wrong vowel in the second syllable) and mispronouncing the final -able as /-eɪ.bəl/ or /-æ.bl̩/. Corrective tips: keep /teɪ/ as a long A, place primary stress on the second syllable /ˈteɪ/. Keep the final /l/ clear but not tensed, and avoid adding extra vowels before the final /l/—don’t say /-eɪ.bəl/; prefer /-nə.bəl/ with a syllabic /l/.
In US/UK/AU, /əˈteɪ.nə.bəl/ is consistent for the main vowels: schwa in the first and a long A in -tay-. The rhotic US may have a slightly more pronounced postvocalic /r/ in connected speech, but this word itself is not rhotic; the /r/ is not present. Australians typically maintain the same /əˈteɪ.nə.bəl/ with perhaps a flatter /ɜː/ quality in some speakers. Ensure the /ˈteɪ/ is crisp; avoid over-raising the second syllable. IPA remains broadly the same across these variants.
Two main challenges: the sequence of vowels in -tain- (/teɪ/ with a tense diphthong) and the light, unstressed final -able /-ə.bl̩/. The transition from /teɪ/ to /nə/ requires subtle tongue retraction and jaw movement; followed by a sonorant /l̩/ that should be syllabic, not fully vocalized. People often misplace primary stress or insert an extra syllable, saying /əˈteɪ.nə.bæl/ or /əˈteɪ.næ.bəl/. Practicing the precise schwa, long A, and final light /l/ helps.
A unique nuance is the final syllable that often becomes syllabic /l̩/ in fluent speech. In careful speech you’ll hear /əˈteɪ.nə.bəl/ with a clear /əl/; in rapid speech it can compress to /əˈteɪ.nəˌbl̩/. Focusing on making the final /l/ support the preceding vowel without an intrusive extra vowel helps maintain natural rhythm and accuracy in connected speech.
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