achievement
Americannoun
-
achievements
plural
-
something accomplished, especially by superior ability, special effort, great courage, etc.; a great or heroic deed.
his remarkable achievements in art.
-
the act of achieving; attainment or accomplishment.
the achievement of one's object.
- Synonyms:
- realization, fulfillment
-
Heraldry. the full display of the armorial bearings of an individual or corporation.
-
Digital Technology. a title or icon associated with a user profile or account that indicates the person's skill or rank in an online community, especially on a gaming platform.
noun
-
something that has been accomplished, esp by hard work, ability, or heroism
-
successful completion; accomplishment
-
heraldry a less common word for hatchment
Usage
What does achievement mean? An achievement is a great accomplishment—something achieved with great effort or skill. Achieve and achievement often imply the completion of something important or difficult—a lofty goal or a great feat. Graduating high school is an achievement. Learning a new language is an achievement. An award is an achievement. Achievement can also refer to the act of achieving, as in We need to focus on the achievement of these goals. This sense of the word doesn’t always imply impressiveness by itself—it often means the same thing as completion. Example: Becoming a nurse is a major achievement—it represents years of hard work and sacrifice.
Synonym Usage
Achievement, exploit, feat are terms for a noteworthy act. Achievement connotes final accomplishment of something noteworthy, after much effort and often in spite of obstacles and discouragements: a scientific achievement. Exploit connotes boldness, bravery, and usually ingenuity: the famous exploit of an aviator. Feat connotes the performance of something difficult, generally demanding skill and strength: a feat of horsemanship.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of achievement
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Middle French achevement “conclusion”; equivalent to achieve + -ment
Explanation
Achievement is another word for accomplishment. My greatest achievement to date is the time I won the annual hay-stacking contest at the county fair. That was twenty darn years ago, but I still look back fondly on that moment and the trophy I got to take home. A noun used to describe something finished successfully or the act of accomplishing, achievement comes from the similarly spelled Middle French achievement “a finishing.” For some people, just being able to make it to work every day on time could be considered an achievement, but the word is usually applied to feats of more heroic proportions. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Every great achievement is the victory of a flaming heart.”
Vocabulary lists containing achievement
An Inspirational Back-to-School Word List
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 5
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Olympics Vocabulary for Champions
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A modest achievement, perhaps, but one I’m growing increasingly fond of.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026
Fourth place on the grid is low-key for the Mercedes driver in the context of his season as a whole - and the gargantuan achievement of which he stands on the brink.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
The central achievement is not simply a new way to estimate distances.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 30, 2026
Guyana has "managed to keep an enormous percentage of your forests. That is an incredible achievement," Charles said Friday.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
We human beings now have the power to exterminate ourselves; this seems to be the entire sum of our achievement.
From "The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin
Shirley Dace, as she worked the phones at Bass headquarters, referred to a five-page list of personal achievements and positive developments during the mayor’s first term.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026
Refrigeration, sanitation and garbage collection are among the great achievements of modern urban life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
For a man who has previously spoken about prioritising match-winning contributions over individual achievements, Brook the captain was left dejected that his innings ultimately counted for nothing.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
Pattersonreceived several medals for his service and achievements, according to the Nellis Air Force Base Public Affairs, including the Air and Space Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
In the history of culture the discovery of zero will always stand out as one of the greatest single achievements of the human race.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
