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Synonyms

achievement

American  
[uh-cheev-muhnt] / əˈtʃiv mənt /

noun

  1. something accomplished, especially by superior ability, special effort, great courage, etc.; a great or heroic deed.

    his remarkable achievements in art.

  2. the act of achieving; attainment or accomplishment.

    the achievement of one's object.

    Synonyms:
    realization, fulfillment
  3. Heraldry. the full display of the armorial bearings of an individual or corporation.

  4. 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.


achievement British  
/ əˈtʃiːvmənt /

noun

  1. something that has been accomplished, esp by hard work, ability, or heroism

  2. successful completion; accomplishment

  3. heraldry a less common word for hatchment

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Related Words

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

  • superachievement noun

Etymology

Origin of achievement

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Middle French achevement “conclusion”; equivalent to achieve + -ment

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.

Buffett’s greatest achievement is not beating the market, impressive as that is.

From MarketWatch

Buffett’s greatest achievement is not beating the market, impressive as that is.

From MarketWatch

What questions do you have about Buffett’s achievements or what lies ahead for Berkshire?

From The Wall Street Journal

Her performance is one for the ages, a gnashing, robust physical achievement that cements her as one of the greatest actors of her generation.

From Salon

But unlike their past shared achievements, this one couldn’t be celebrated together.

From Los Angeles Times