2 syllables: at, tained. Stress on tained.
uh-TAYND
/əˈteɪnd/
attained is pronounced uh-TAYND (/əˈteɪnd/). It has two syllables (at-tained), with the stress on "tained". Attained means having achieved or reached a goal or level. It implies successful completion after effort, persistence, or progress, often over time. The term is formal enough for academic or professional contexts and contrasts with things that are pursued but not yet realized.
Attained means having achieved or reached a goal or level. It implies successful completion after effort, persistence, or progress, often over time. The term is formal enough for academic or professional contexts and contrasts with things that are pursued but not yet realized.
- You might default to a flat vowel in the second syllable or shorten the diphthong /eɪ/ in rapid speech. Fix by lengthening the /eɪ/ to a clear, two-part movement: /e/ to /ɪ/ while maintaining lip rounding. - The /t/ leading into /n/ can be produced as a heavy, full /t/; instead, use a softer alveolar stop or a lightly released /t/ to allow the following /n/ and /d/ to sound natural. - Final /nd/ is often pronounced as /n/ or /d/ only; ensure you land on a crisp /nd/ with a short, almost inaudible /ɪ/ or none, and avoid adding a vowel after /d/ in connected speech.
"She attained a master’s degree after years of study."
"The climber attained the summit despite harsh conditions."
"The project finally attained approval from all stakeholders."
Pronounce as /əˈteɪnd/. The initial schwa is unstressed, then the stressed diphthong /eɪ/ in the second syllable, followed by a clear /nd/ ending. The mouth starts relaxed, raises the tongue to produce /eɪ/ mid-high, and finishes with a light nasal and dental blend for /n/ and /d/. Keep the /t/ silent only if linking to a following consonant; otherwise /t/ is typically a light, unreleased stop before /n/. Audio references: Cambridge and Oxford pronunciations show the /əˈteɪnd/ pattern with primary stress on the second syllable.
Two common slips: (1) Treating it as /æˈtænd/ with an American flat /æ/ vowel instead of /eɪ/; (2) Pronouncing the final /nd/ too lightly or as /n/ only, where you should have a brief /d/ release. Correct by enforcing the /eɪ/ diphthong in the stressed syllable and ending with a crisp /nd/ cluster: /əˈteɪnd/. Practice sequences like /ə ˈteɪnd/ in isolation and then before nouns beginning with consonants to fix linking and stop release.
In US/UK/AU, the main difference is vowel quality and rhoticity. All share /əˈteɪnd/ in non-rhotic or rhotic contexts, but American speakers often maintain a slightly tighter /eɪ/ and quicker /n d/ release, while British speakers might have a more rounded /eɪ/ with a softer /d/ tone. Australian speech typically aligns with US in the vowel quality but may exhibit a shorter final consonant with less audible /d/ release in casual speech. Overall, stress and syllable timing remain the same: secondary stress is minimal, primary stress on /teɪ/.
The challenge lies in the diphthong /eɪ/ and the /t/–/n/–/d/ cluster at the end, which can blur in rapid speech. The /ɪ/ isn’t present here; keep the strong /eɪ/ and ensure the tongue moves from mid-to-high to make that bright diphthong before a clear alveolar nasal-stop cluster. Misplacing the stress (putting it on the first syllable) is another common error. Emphasize the second syllable and practice the /t/ release before /nd/ to maintain clarity.
A unique feature is the linkage of the final nasal /n/ and alveolar /d/ to create a homorganic alveolar stop sequence at the end. In careful speech, you’ll hear a brief, almost simultaneous release of /n/ and /d/ before ending. This subtle contact is crucial for a natural, fluent sounding attAired word rather than a clipped ending. Keep the mouth ready to transition smoothly to the next word if linked in speech.
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- US: Rhotic with a strong /ɚ/ in some environments is not relevant here; emphasize the /əˈteɪnd/ pattern. Vowel: /eɪ/ is pronounced with a clear offglide; keep lips rounded into /eɪ/ and maintain a fast but precise ending /nd/. - UK: Slightly more muted /eɪ/ and it may feel more clipped; ensure the /nd/ is strong and the /t/ is not overly released; stress remains on the second syllable. - AU: Similar to US, but with more relaxed vowel quality; ensure the diphthong remains distinct though not overly bright. IPA references: /əˈteɪnd/ across accents; rhotic differences minimal in this word, consonant cluster ends are similar across all three.
Attained originates from the verb attain, which comes from the Old French atteindre meaning ‘to reach, to reach toward,’ and from Latin ad tangere ‘to touch toward,’ formed from ad- ‘toward’ + tangere ‘to touch.’ The sense of reaching a goal or achieving a level emerged in Middle English, with attestations in scholarly and formal writing by the 14th century. The word has retained its core sense of obtaining something through effort, although it has broadened to include figurative milestones (attaining knowledge, status, or expertise). The modern pronunciation and spelling align with its historical roots: a stressed first syllable with a postvocalic nasal and a tense vowel in the second syllable. First known use evidence points to Middle English texts around the 14th century, often in religious or moral contexts about attaining virtue or wisdom, later expanding into secular and professional domains as education and achievement became increasingly valued in society.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "attained" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "attained" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "attained"
-ned sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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