achievement
Americannoun
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something accomplished, especially by superior ability, special effort, great courage, etc.; a great or heroic deed.
his remarkable achievements in art.
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the act of achieving; attainment or accomplishment.
the achievement of one's object.
- Synonyms:
- realization, fulfillment
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Heraldry. the full display of the armorial bearings of an individual or corporation.
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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
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something that has been accomplished, esp by hard work, ability, or heroism
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successful completion; accomplishment
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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
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List 5
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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:
If the Dodgers want to mark their achievement and honor the game of baseball in the nation’s capital, fine.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Economists estimate each standard deviation of achievement is worth $110,000 to $230,000 in lifetime earnings, so $10 billion buys roughly three years of that gain for two million children, about a $200 billion increase.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
As part of the occasion to honour their achievement, they both stepped on to weighing scales to establish the quantity of tomatoes they would each be given.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Putting him on the almighty dollar would be the crowning achievement of these efforts.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
Beside him in the darkness the coal of her cigarette glowed like the rump of a complacent lightning bug: a steady, unwavering index of Rachael Rosen’s achievement.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
Chinese state media hailed Deng and Wang for their historic achievements.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
His son, Ian, said "It is a fitting tribute not only to my father's pioneering achievements, but also to the generations of engineers, designers and aviators who helped shape Britain's world-leading contribution to aviation."
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Howver, his parents, Tom and Abbi, said the 14-year-old's birthmark had "never defined him" and that his achievements were a reflection of his "determination and strength".
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
And he is admirably fair-minded in assessing both Willing’s achievements and the grievances of his critics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
But the importance of some of Dumbledore’s achievements cannot, I venture, be denied.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions 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.
