attain honor

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "attain honor" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the achievement of respect, recognition, or a high moral standard. Example: "Through hard work and dedication, he was able to attain honor in his community."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The Libyan soccer federation said yesterday that a committee had been set up to prepare for the tournaments, and it urged other federations "to stand by it and support it in attaining the honor of organizing these two tournaments".

The New York Times - Sports

Christy Canterbury, one of only 300 people in the world to have attained the honor of Master of Wine, says hangovers are an occupational risk she avoids by "alternating glasses of whatever I'm drinking with water.

BBC

The ExPath program requires that each student pass at least six graduate-level semester courses, and must attain a grade of Honors ("H") in at least two of these.

Yale University

LONDON — Paul O'Connell attained the greatest honor available to a British or Irish player on Tuesday when he was appointed captain of the Lions tour of South Africa this year.

The New York Times - Sports

Nixon was doing the country's bidding but he seemed to deny this by refusing to acknowledge our rejection He congratulated us on our steadfastness in supportin the war & said we were leaving it because we had attained peace "with honor".

The New Yorker

Grantee and trainee recognitions Significant awards and honors attained by NIEHS grantees and trainees were communicated, such as the Karen Wetterhahn awards and NIEHS MERIT recipients.

Environmental Health Perspectives

This leg up, in terms of educational legacies and social networks, within South Asia and the US, helped a generation of Desis attain the successes that would be honored at events like the Person of the Year awards.

Huffington Post

The purpose of this study was to attain expert consensus on the characteristics of an honors student in the core surgery clerkship.

Journal of the American College of Surgeons

It's a testament to his shift in behavior that his team recently was honored for being the first region to attain market leadership with three of AstraZeneca's top drugs.

Harvard Business Review

And while startups like StraighterLine have focused on allowing students to take courses at two-year institutions online, where credit can transfer to a wide set of universities, no one has yet focused on honors students and helping community college students attain degrees from top-tier, four-year institutions.

TechCrunch

Fewer than 3% of Minnesota lawyers attain this credential, and on the national level, the percentage of lawyers with this honor is even smaller.

Cornell University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "attain honor" when you want to emphasize the process of reaching a state of high regard or respect through specific actions or achievements. For example, "Through years of selfless service, she was able to "attain honor" in her community".

Common error

While "attain" and "obtain" both mean to get something, "attain" suggests a greater effort or a higher goal. Avoid using "obtain honor" when you want to highlight the achievement and deservingness associated with gaining respect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "attain honor" functions as a verb-noun construction, where "attain" acts as a transitive verb taking "honor" as its direct object. It describes the action of achieving or reaching a state of being honored or respected. Ludwig AI confirms the validity of its usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Science

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "attain honor" is a grammatically sound phrase that describes the action of achieving respect or recognition. While Ludwig AI confirms its validity, the phrase "achieve honor" is generally more common. Analysis reveals that "attain honor" is primarily used in News & Media and Academic contexts, suggesting a formal or neutral register. When using this phrase, consider the subtle difference between "attain" and synonyms like "obtain", "earn", and "gain". "Attain" implies a greater effort or a higher goal is sought.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

achieve honor

Replaces "attain" with "achieve", offering a slightly more common and direct way to express the same concept.

earn honor

Emphasizes the effort and deservingness required to receive honor.

gain honor

Similar to "achieve honor", but with a sense of acquiring or receiving honor.

secure honor

Suggests a more deliberate and strategic effort to obtain honor.

win honor

Implies a competitive or challenging situation in which honor is earned.

be honored

Shifts the focus from the act of attaining to the state of being recognized and respected.

garner honor

Similar to "earn honor", but suggests accumulating honor over time.

receive honor

Focuses on being the recipient of honor, often as an award or recognition.

capture honor

Suggests actively seizing or taking hold of honor.

merit honor

Focuses on deserving honor through virtuous actions or achievements.

FAQs

How can I use "attain honor" in a sentence?

You can use "attain honor" to describe someone achieving a high level of respect or recognition. For example, "The athlete worked tirelessly to "achieve honor" in their sport".

What are some alternatives to "attain honor"?

Some alternatives include "earn honor", "gain honor", or "achieve honor". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more common to say "attain honor" or "achieve honor"?

"Achieve honor" is generally more common in contemporary English. However, "attain honor" is still grammatically correct and conveys a similar meaning, emphasizing the process of reaching a desired state.

What's the difference between "attain honor" and "receive honor"?

"Attain honor" emphasizes the effort and actions taken to earn respect, while "receive honor" focuses on being the recipient of recognition, often in the form of an award or special acknowledgement.