achieve
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
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to bring to a successful conclusion; accomplish; attain
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to gain as by hard work or effort
to achieve success
Synonym Usage
See do 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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achievernoun
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superachievernoun
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outachieveverb (used with object)
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achievableadjective
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preachievedadjective
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unachievableadjective
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unachievedadjective
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well-achievedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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achievesimple
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achievessimple
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have achievedperfect
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has achievedperfect
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am achievingprogressive
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are achievingprogressive
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is achievingprogressive
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have been achievingperfect progressive
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has been achievingperfect progressive
Past
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achievedsimple
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had achievedperfect
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was achievingprogressive
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were achievingprogressive
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had been achievingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of achieve
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English acheven, from Old French achever “to finish,” from phrase a chef “to (the) head,” i.e., “to conclusion”; see chief
Explanation
If you achieve something, you've reached a goal. Achievements aren't accidents. If you stumble upon a treasure chest, you haven't achieved something; however, achieving a promotion to become CEO is another story. If someone asks you to give an example of the word achieve, you can always reach for Shakespeare's much quoted remark from his play Twelfth Night. In Act II, Scene V, the character Malvolio says, ". . . some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em." Pundits like to throw that quote around when talking about politicians. Of course, they usually disagree about if, when, and how the politician achieved greatness.
Vocabulary lists containing achieve
The AP English Exam: The Language of the Test
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Workshop 1, Part 1
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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.
See Examples For:
The laboratory allows researchers to conduct experiments and achieve scientific breakthroughs that would not be possible under conditions on Earth.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026
Former BDO world champion Mark Webster said he "half expects" the teenager to achieve the clean sweep.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
That’s costing companies more to borrow, while concern has been growing about potential data-center overbuilding and what U.S. companies might achieve from those investments.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 26, 2026
Its main tool to achieve this is the economy's key interest rate -- raising rates tends to curtail economic activity and high prices, while lowering them encourages hiring and investment but can also stoke inflation.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
The urge to penetrate unknown realms, to achieve something original, may be felt by every one of us now and than.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
They said the new deal "achieves this without any government funding or cost to taxpayers".
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
If the Italian bank achieves 50% control of Commerzbank it would be able to incorporate the German bank’s results in its own accounts, Bank of America says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
It typically achieves these goals through interest-rate decisions -- cutting borrowing costs to spur economic activity or raising them to cool prices.
From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026
Morningstar’s base-case scenario, which it assigns a 50% probability, assumes that SpaceX achieves a reusable Starship rocket and somewhat economical orbital data centers.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 6, 2026
He achieves his own authority, and that is unshakable.
From "The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin
Andrew Bishop’s base case remains that a face-saving compromise will be achieved by the U.S. and Iran.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
A senior Canadian government official said Carney’s announcement about the bridge opening was informed by the project having achieved substantial completion, a final step in the construction process that allowed the span to open.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
US consumer inflation eased to 3.5 percent year-on-year last month, but remains far higher than the Fed's long-term two-percent target, which it has not achieved for more than five years.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
When starting from a 4-2-3-1, this can be achieved with one of the two starting as a number 10 with the other inverting centrally from the wing, with a full-back pushing up on that flank.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
“Balance can be achieved in two different kinds of conditions,” said Mr. Powell.
From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt
But despite Alphabet seeing tremendous revenue growth and achieving its highest-ever quarterly operating profit, the stock fell 7% on Thursday.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
The boldness of these aspirations is accentuated by Mr. Woolfson’s candor about how far we stand from achieving any of them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Ben Martinez, Calexico’s city manager, said his city continues to work with state officials on the plans and “remains fully committed to achieving compliance with California Housing Element law.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
Stupak credits Fedorov with achieving something no-one would have imagined possible ten years ago: dragging the sclerotic, rigidly inflexible military into the digital world.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Chess had to become paramount again; it had to be his first priority, or his dream of achieving the World Championship would be just that: a dream.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
