failed to attain

USAGE SUMMARY

'failed to attain' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that someone did not manage or succeed in achieving a goal. For example, "Despite his best efforts, he failed to attain the result he was hoping for."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

While it was successfully launched -- and supported by Russia -- this campaign too has failed to attain its objectives.

The New York Times

Still, they fret that what Soviet troops failed to attain with guns, Russian companies are poised to achieve with dollars.

The New York Times

Indeed, your article makes it clear that, before his life in an asylum, Hinckley failed to attain basic essentials of independent adult existence.

The New York Times - Magazine

In many developing countries, industries have failed to attain international competitiveness even after 15 or 20 years of operation and might not survive if protective tariffs were removed.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The Third Crusade had failed to attain its main objective, the retaking of Jerusalem, but in every other way it was a great success.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The senior Georgian official later made a copy of the deal available to The New York Times with what he said were notes marking changes the Georgians had asked for but failed to attain.

The New York Times

The eight Diana letters, written in large, looping script on cream-colored paper and tucked into clear plastic sheaths, failed to attain reserve prices that Mr. Tilberis had set for them, he said.

The New York Times - Style

Mr Gul, the candidate of the Islamist-leaning AK Party, narrowly failed to attain the required two-thirds of the ballots in previous attempts but only needs a simple majority this time.

The Economist

Does the celebration of the triumphant cancer survivor cast those who died from the disease in the role of victims who somehow failed to attain the requisite resiliency to overcome it?

The New York Times

"Consider the facts and it soon becomes evident," Mr. Easterly wrote in the op-ed page article, "that the $1 trillion spent on aid since the 1960's, with the efforts of advisers, and foreign aid givers, have failed to attain the desired results".

The New York Times

In an unexpected sleight of casting, Meg Ryan has been given the role of Frannie Avery, a tough-talking New York writing professor who soothes her disappointment at the romantic fantasy she has failed to attain with her more manageable love of words and poetry.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "failed to attain" when you want to clearly express that a specific goal or standard was not reached, especially after effort or expectation.

Common error

Avoid using "failed to attain" when the subject never actually tried to achieve the goal. "Failed to attain" implies an attempt was made, while choosing to not even try needs another specific verb like neglect, refuse, avoid or skip.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "failed to attain" functions as a verb phrase, indicating the lack of success in reaching a specific goal or objective. It is used to express that something or someone did not manage to achieve a desired outcome, as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

6%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "failed to attain" is a verb phrase used to express the lack of success in reaching a goal, level, or standard. According to Ludwig, its grammatical status is correct. It's frequently found in science and news & media contexts, with a neutral to formal register. To ensure correct usage, remember that it implies an attempt was made. Alternatives such as "failed to achieve" and "did not accomplish" can be used depending on the context. It is a very common expression in English writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

failed to achieve

Focuses on the act of achieving, similar to attaining, but with a slightly broader application.

did not accomplish

Highlights the lack of completion of a task or objective.

was unable to reach

Emphasizes the inability to arrive at a desired level or position.

fell short of

Suggests a deficiency in meeting a required standard or expectation.

missed the mark

Implies a failure to hit a target or achieve a specific goal.

proved insufficient to

Highlights that something was not enough to achieve a goal.

could not secure

Focuses on the inability to obtain or ensure something.

was unsuccessful in gaining

Emphasizes the lack of success in acquiring something.

did not realize

Highlights the lack of materialization or actualization of a plan.

was deficient in reaching

Highlights that the result didn't meet a standard result.

FAQs

What does "failed to attain" mean?

"Failed to attain" means that someone or something did not succeed in reaching or achieving a particular goal, level, or standard.

How can I use "failed to attain" in a sentence?

You can use "failed to attain" to describe situations where an objective was not met, like "The company "failed to attain" its sales target this quarter".

What are some alternatives to "failed to attain"?

Alternatives include "failed to achieve", "did not accomplish", or "was unable to reach", depending on the context.

Is it more formal to say "failed to attain" or "didn't reach"?

"Failed to attain" is generally more formal than "didn't reach". The former is often used in academic, scientific, or professional contexts, while the latter is suitable for informal communication.