accomplishment

American  

[uh-kom-plish-muhnt] / əˈkɒm plɪʃ mənt /

noun

• accomplishments
  plural

1. an act or instance of carrying into effect; fulfillment.

   the accomplishment of our desires.

   Synonyms:

   execution, completion

   Antonyms:

   failure

2. something done admirably or creditably.

   Space exploration is a major accomplishment of science.

3. anything accomplished; deed; achievement.

   a career measured in a series of small accomplishments.

   Synonyms:

   consummation

4. Often accomplishments.

   1. a grace, skill, or knowledge expected in polite society.

   2. any acquired ability or knowledge.

   Synonyms:

   proficiency, acquisition

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accomplishment British  

/ əˈkɒmplɪʃmənt, əˈkʌm- /

noun

1. the act of carrying out or achieving

2. something achieved or successfully completed

3. (often plural) skill or talent

4. (often plural) social grace, style, and poise

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Usage

What does accomplishment mean? An accomplishment is something that has been accomplished—achieved, carried out, or finished. To accomplish a goal is to complete it. The word achievement means about the same thing. Accomplish and achieve can be used as synonyms, but they sometimes imply slightly different things. Achieve and achievement often imply the completion of something important or difficult—a lofty goal or a great feat. You can accomplish a lofty goal or a great feat, but the word accomplish itself doesn’t typically imply this. Rather, it usually just means to complete something (regardless of how impressive it is). However, this sense of accomplishment is usually used in the context of the completion of actions or goals that are at least somewhat impressive—or that take a good amount of effort. Graduating high school is an accomplishment. Learning a new language is an accomplishment. Accomplishment can also refer to the act of accomplishing, as in We need to focus on the accomplishment of these goals. This sense of the word doesn’t typically imply impressiveness by itself—it means the same thing as completion. Example: Make sure you list all your major accomplishments on your resume.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preaccomplishment
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• accomplishments
  plural

Etymology

Origin of accomplishment

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; accomplish + -ment; compare French accomplissement

Explanation

An accomplishment is something notable that you've done. Graduating from college with honors is an accomplishment. First used in the 15th century, the noun accomplishment derives from the Old French word acomplir, meaning "to fulfill, fill up, complete." An accomplishment is something you've completed successfully. The word often refers to a goal that you've achieved. If you're a runner, you'd consider completing a marathon to be a great accomplishment. Gaining a new skill can also be an accomplishment. Speaking French fluently might be an accomplishment that makes you really proud.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

accomplishment accomplishments

Graves told ProPublica that he had high regard for Bunch — “his accomplishment with the African American museum was remarkable” — but that he became worried that the Smithsonian was operating within a bubble.

From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2026

The Times: What do you feel, since you joined the council, has been your biggest accomplishment?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026

Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s chief executive, spoke about the accomplishment as though it were fact, congratulating OpenAI and posting that “AGI has arrived.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

At the University of Chicago, where I finished graduate school, nobody confused potential with accomplishment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

When she saw her posts reposted on another site, she flushed with accomplishment, and yet she had not imagined any of this, had never nursed any firm ambition.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The 39th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards — which will honor the contributions and accomplishments of Latinos in the U.S. and Latin America — will air nationwide Friday on PBS.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026

Trump has previously praised the Northern Irishman's accomplishments on the course after winning back-to-back Masters titles.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

These types of specific accomplishments can be game changers on your resume, because they help show your positive impact on a company during your time there.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

His career accomplishments include founding the National Museum of African American History and Culture and authoring numerous books, including one on the NMAAHC's creation.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

The next generation of suffragists respected the accomplishments of their foremothers, but many of them were impatient with the slow progress of the movement.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Related Words

• ability
• achievement
• capability
• deed
• effort
• exploit
• feat
• performance
• skill
• talent
• triumph