achievement
Americannoun
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something accomplished, especially by superior ability, special effort, great courage, etc.; a great or heroic deed.
his remarkable achievements in art.
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the act of achieving; attainment or accomplishment.
the achievement of one's object.
- Synonyms:
- realization, fulfillment
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Heraldry. the full display of the armorial bearings of an individual or corporation.
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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.
noun
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something that has been accomplished, esp by hard work, ability, or heroism
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successful completion; accomplishment
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heraldry a less common word for hatchment
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.
Synonym Usage
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
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of achievement
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Middle French achevement “conclusion”; equivalent to achieve + -ment
Explanation
Achievement is another word for accomplishment. My greatest achievement to date is the time I won the annual hay-stacking contest at the county fair. That was twenty darn years ago, but I still look back fondly on that moment and the trophy I got to take home. A noun used to describe something finished successfully or the act of accomplishing, achievement comes from the similarly spelled Middle French achievement “a finishing.” For some people, just being able to make it to work every day on time could be considered an achievement, but the word is usually applied to feats of more heroic proportions. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Every great achievement is the victory of a flaming heart.”
Vocabulary lists containing achievement
An Inspirational Back-to-School Word List
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List 5
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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.
That achievement would give scientists a powerful new tool for studying lunar geology and reconstructing the Moon's long and complex history.
From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2026
It was a "major achievement of national cultural policy," the official said, to get the "art of Akhal-Teke horse breeding and traditions of horses' decoration" added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
Per the Hollywood Reporter, Wenders received a lifetime achievement award at the German Film Awards last week and addressed the “Wrong Move” issue in his speech, saying that he would not shoot the scene today.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
"Modest in demeanour, yet monumental in achievement, Fergus never sought admiration, but earned it universally from team-mates, opponents, supporters and generations of young rugby players, who dreamed of following in his footsteps."
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
The supreme achievement of art was his, the art of concealing art.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
