accomplished

American  

[uh-kom-plisht] / əˈkɒm plɪʃt /

adjective

1. completed; done; effected.

   an accomplished fact.

2. highly skilled; expert.

   an accomplished pianist.

3. having all the social graces, manners, and other attainments of polite society.

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accomplished British  

/ əˈkʌm-, əˈkɒmplɪʃt /

adjective

1. successfully completed; achieved

2. expert; proficient

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Usage

What does accomplished mean? Accomplished is used to describe someone who has achieved many impressive things in life or in their career. The verb accomplish means "to carry out or finish an action—to complete what you set out to do." To accomplish a goal is to complete it. Some who is considered accomplished has accomplished a lot. The word is especially used to indicate that a person is very experienced, skilled, and perhaps awarded in their field. It is often paired with words for different professions or hobbies, as in accomplished pianist, accomplished surgeon, and accomplished baker. The word can also be used to describe a work that is considered a special achievement, as in His new album is an accomplished entry in his catalog of work. Example: Tina is an accomplished coder—you could learn a lot from her.

Other Word Forms

• superaccomplished
  adjective
• well-accomplished
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of accomplished

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; accomplish + -ed ²

Explanation

The adjective accomplished is useful for describing someone who's very good at something. You might use it to talk about yourself if you are an accomplished — or highly skilled — sword swallower. An accomplished ice skater is someone who can do one of those fancy twirls on the ice, and an accomplished cupcake baker is someone you want to be friends with. Another way to use the word accomplished is to mean "successfully completed or finished." You might say, "I accomplished my goal of climbing the highest mountain east of the Mississippi River." Next up: Everest.

Example Sentences

“The Lost Boys,” featuring a well-chosen cast of rising stars and accomplished veterans, is hardly a perfect show.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

It was her second goal in an accomplished first-half performance from her side against troubled Leicester City on Wednesday - and she celebrated in typically understated fashion.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

An accomplished saxophonist as well as a professor of physics at Brown University, Mr. Alexander posits that the music Coltrane made in his late performances was an exploration of applied relativity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

The aftermath of that 1986 race was less kind, although nobody could take away what Shoemaker had accomplished.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2026

According to Washington’s grandson, Frank was “the most polite and accomplished of all butlers.”

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

Related Words

• adept
• consummate
• gifted
• polished
• proficient
• skillful
• talented