feat
1 Americannoun
-
a noteworthy or extraordinary act or achievement, usually displaying boldness, skill, etc..
Arranging the treaty was a diplomatic feat.
- Synonyms:
- accomplishment
-
Obsolete. a specialized skill; profession.
noun
Related Words
See achievement.
Etymology
Origin of feat1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English fet, fait, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin factum, noun use of neuter past participle of facere “to do, make”; see fact
Origin of feat2
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French fait “made (to fit),” from Latin factus “done, made,” past participle of facere “to do, make”
Explanation
A feat is an exemplary, even bold achievement, often an act of great courage or skill. Getting your cat to wear a leash was quite a feat. The noun feat developed from the Latin facere, meaning "make do." Today, it gets applied to a deed that's noble or out of the ordinary. Have you ever accomplished amazing feats in your dreams, like flying? If so, I hope you didn't wake up on the roof. Maybe you perform feats of daring in your everyday life, if you're a firefighter or a tightrope walker. If you're afraid of heights, just taking the glass elevator counts as a courageous feat!
Vocabulary lists containing feat
Unit 1: Telling Details
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"Why Exploring the Ocean Is Mankind's Next Giant Leap," Vocabulary from the commentary
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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.
Broadcom’s market capitalization just passed the $2 trillion threshold, making the company only the sixth in U.S. history to achieve that feat.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
During the flight, New Glenn’s third ever, the vehicle’s huge booster returned safely to Earth, a feat only Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX have achieved with orbital rockets.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026
Dwight Macdonald managed the difficult feat of being a democratic socialist and at the same time a tiresome snob and cultural reactionary, often coming off like a retired colonel at his London club.
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026
So while the bill’s passage through the House was a significant feat, it’s unlikely to go anywhere.
From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026
Negotiating the puzzling, infirm terrain demanded unceasing concentration, an all-but-impossible feat in my punch-drunk state.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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.
