accomplish
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to bring to its goal or conclusion; carry out; perform; finish.
to accomplish one's mission.
-
to complete (a distance or period of time).
to have accomplished the age of 70;
We accomplished the journey in little more than an hour.
-
Archaic. to provide polish to; perfect.
verb
-
to manage to do; achieve
-
to conclude successfully; complete
Usage
What does accomplish mean? Accomplish means to carry out or finish an action—to complete what you set out to do. To accomplish a goal is to complete it. Accomplish is often (though not always) used in the context of completing a set goal—one that is planned or desired before it is accomplished. Accomplish is generally used in a positive way in the context of completing beneficial goals (though a person can accomplish bad things—many supervillains hope to accomplish a global takeover). The completion of a goal or anything accomplished can be called an accomplishment, which means about the same thing as achievement. Someone who has accomplished many impressive things in life or in their career can be described with the adjective accomplished. It’s especially used to indicate that a person is very experienced, skilled, and perhaps awarded in their field, as in an accomplished singer. Much less commonly, accomplish can mean to reach a destination or certain age, as in I never thought I would accomplish the age of 100. Example: I’m hoping to accomplish everything on my to-do list today.
Synonym Usage
See do 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
accomplishernoun
-
preaccomplishverb (used with object)
-
accomplishableadjective
-
unaccomplishableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
accomplishsimple
-
accomplishessimple
-
have accomplishedperfect
-
has accomplishedperfect
-
am accomplishingprogressive
-
are accomplishingprogressive
-
is accomplishingprogressive
-
have been accomplishingperfect progressive
-
has been accomplishingperfect progressive
Past
-
accomplishedsimple
-
had accomplishedperfect
-
was accomplishingprogressive
-
were accomplishingprogressive
-
had been accomplishingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of accomplish
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French accompliss-, stem of acomplir, equivalent to a- ac- + complir, ultimately from Latin complēre “to fill”; see complete, -ish 2
Explanation
To accomplish something is to get it done. People usually accomplish things that are sources of pride — like goals or records. But people accomplish immoral acts as well — like scandals or cons. The verb accomplish also means to bring about or put into effect. The CEO stood before the employees and outlined all she expected to be accomplished in the next year. She ended her speech by saying, "If we are to accomplish this, we must all work together — and work hard — but the rewards if we succeed will be great both for the company and for those that work here. Thank you for your efforts!"
Vocabulary lists containing accomplish
List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The authors say larger and more carefully designed trials are needed to show what exercise can realistically accomplish for people with hip osteoarthritis.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
And while we had different ways of getting to that goal, we sold teenagers on the idea that they should delay pregnancy so that they could accomplish their goals.
From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026
It’s a worthy goal he has done much to accomplish, as none of his predecessors would.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
"We believe we will more than accomplish the evidentiary burden of probable cause at this point to hold David to answer on these three felony charges," Hochman told the press.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Chase thought about holding his ground and refusing to go, but it wouldn’t accomplish anything.
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
The Harvard chip accomplishes this using tiny electrical currents.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026
By itself, DNA, which lies in every living cell, accomplishes nothing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026
Part of the issue is that much of the good that a president accomplishes occurs during the first year of a term—and is immediately priced in.
From Barron's ● Jan. 2, 2026
However, this tax no longer accomplishes what it once did.
From Salon ● Dec. 28, 2025
The analogy is more poetic than precise, for the cell accomplishes its “burning” with only the moderate heat of the body’s normal temperature.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
Michelle Obama and Usha Vance were arguably more accomplished than their husbands were at the start of their political careers.
From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2026
The trick is that in addition to being accomplished comedians, Mr. Segel and Ms. Weaving are also first-rate dramatic actors: Their hatred feels genuine, which only makes the jokes funnier.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
These were intelligent, accomplished people who built businesses, led large organizations, and accumulated substantial wealth.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 25, 2026
“Having this piece that we’ve created be embraced by so many is a very accomplished feeling,” Burch said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
It was nine p.m. on July 20, 1971, and Bobby Fischer had achieved what no one else had ever accomplished in chess: winning two grandmaster matches without drawing or losing a single game.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
“What is keeping Tesla back from accomplishing these short-term goals that they’ve set for themselves?”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
She appears to be accomplishing all three of those goals.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2026
Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, in arguing during a meeting in Washington that the U.S. wasn’t accomplishing its goals by treating the EU poorly, a senior U.S. official said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 13, 2026
She wanted people to see what she was accomplishing and to "let me hold a mirror so you can see yourself and what you can accomplish if you believe".
From BBC ● Jan. 27, 2026
Soon she would fully come into her own, accomplishing the seemingly impossible—and astonishing the world.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
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.
