achieve
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to bring to a successful conclusion; accomplish; attain
-
to gain as by hard work or effort
to achieve success
Synonym Usage
See do 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of achieve
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English acheven, from Old French achever “to finish,” from phrase a chef “to (the) head,” i.e., “to conclusion”; see chief
Explanation
If you achieve something, you've reached a goal. Achievements aren't accidents. If you stumble upon a treasure chest, you haven't achieved something; however, achieving a promotion to become CEO is another story. If someone asks you to give an example of the word achieve, you can always reach for Shakespeare's much quoted remark from his play Twelfth Night. In Act II, Scene V, the character Malvolio says, ". . . some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em." Pundits like to throw that quote around when talking about politicians. Of course, they usually disagree about if, when, and how the politician achieved greatness.
Vocabulary lists containing achieve
The AP English Exam: The Language of the Test
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Workshop 1, Part 1
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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.
Blockaders even developed a legal argument to justify their actions, drawing on the common law defense of necessity, which allows someone to break a law to achieve a greater moral good.
From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026
The returns have been attractive, but patience has been required to achieve solid returns for long periods.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
Stirred into potato salad, it contributes not only seasoning but a subtle lactic tang that would otherwise require additional ingredients to achieve.
From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026
Roughly half of drivers, mostly staff from the Aslef drivers' union, will turn up to work, having labelled the proposals "exactly the sort of deal every trade union should be trying to achieve".
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
What Ptolemy had managed to achieve was a system that accurately predicted movements in the heavens.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
