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.

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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

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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

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.”

Example Sentences

Times Festival of Books weekend, Oakland-born writer Amy Tan and literary nonprofit We Need Diverse Books received achievement honors, and finalists in 13 other categories became prize winners.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

In total it took home three awards, including animation and audio achievement.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

Videos ranking the best players of specific games show that bragging rights accrue long after the achievement itself.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

For Lavallo, who has spent two decades working with carbenes, the achievement carries both scientific and personal significance.

From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2026

But “you’re doing your best” is a consolation-prize compliment—like praising someone’s effort and enthusiasm instead of an achievement.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Related Words

• accomplishment
• attainment
• creation
• deed
• effort
• feat
• performance
• realization
• success
• triumph
• victory