achieve

[ uh-cheev ]

verb (used with object)

, a·chieved, a·chiev·ing.

1. to bring to a successful end; carry through; accomplish:

   The police crackdown on speeders achieved its purpose.

   Synonyms: reach, realize, execute, effect, complete, consummate

2. to get or attain by effort; gain; obtain:

   to achieve victory.

   Synonyms: win, realize

verb (used without object)

, a·chieved, a·chiev·ing.

1. to bring about an intended result; accomplish some purpose or effect.

achieve

/ əˈtʃiːv /

verb

1. to bring to a successful conclusion; accomplish; attain
2. to gain as by hard work or effort

   to achieve success

Derived Forms

• aˈchievable, adjective
• aˈchiever, noun

Other Words From

• a·chieva·ble adjective
• a·chiever noun
• outa·chieve verb (used with object) outachieved outachieving
• prea·chieved adjective
• super·a·chiever noun
• una·chieva·ble adjective
• una·chieved adjective
• well-a·chieved adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of achieve¹

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”; chief

Word History and Origins

Origin of achieve¹

C14: from Old French achever to bring to an end, from the phrase a chef to a head, to a conclusion

Synonym Study

See do ¹.

Example Sentences

Piers Forster, professor of climate change, University of LeedsHow China will achieve its new goal will likely be set out in Beijing’s next five year plan, due in March.

From Fortune

She was not the first woman who attempted to use the 14th Amendment to achieve equality.

From No Straight News

An emergency authorization may potentially be achieved sometime this fall even if a full approval isn’t.

From Fortune

That’s why we’re proud to stand with California in achieving meaningful green house gas emissions reductions in our vehicles.

From Fortune

If this rescue plan succeeds, it could become a model for bridging different interests to achieve a common conservation goal.

From Popular-Science

So however detailed the statistics of the battlefield are, they cannot achieve the goal.

From The Daily Beast

So, how do we achieve such equality in the U.S. and other parts of the world?

From The Daily Beast

Following this line of reasoning to its logical conclusion, the way to achieve world peace is to give everyone atomic bombs.

From The Daily Beast

It seems like you had to make the Before trilogy first in order to achieve something like Boyhood.

From The Daily Beast

Direct funds away from practices, policies, and programs that consistently fail to achieve measurable outcomes.

From The Daily Beast

The artist, though emphasizing the latter, can scarcely achieve power in this without also attaining the former.

From Project Gutenberg

We shall, I know, emulate their steadfastness and achieve a result which will confer added laurels to French and British arms.

From Project Gutenberg

Whilst Davout was marching and fighting to achieve his purpose, the main battle went against the French.

From Project Gutenberg

Mere hastiness or slovenliness of work is not identical with the effect of inability to achieve mechanical neatness.

From Project Gutenberg

In respect to the measures which should be adopted to achieve the end desired, there was not the same unanimity.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accomplish
• attain
• bring about
• carry out
• complete
• conclude
• do
• earn
• enact
• end
• gain
• manage
• obtain
• produce
• reach
• realize
• resolve
• settle
• sign
• solve