accomplish
Americanverb (used with object)
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accomplishes,
present (3rd person singular)
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accomplished,
past participle, past
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accomplishing
present participle
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to bring to its goal or conclusion; carry out; perform; finish.
to accomplish one's mission.
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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.
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Archaic. to provide polish to; perfect.
verb
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to manage to do; achieve
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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
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accomplishernoun
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preaccomplishverb (used with object)
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accomplishableadjective
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unaccomplishableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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accomplishsimple
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accomplishessimple
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have accomplishedperfect
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has accomplishedperfect
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am accomplishingprogressive
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are accomplishingprogressive
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is accomplishingprogressive
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have been accomplishingperfect progressive
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has been accomplishingperfect progressive
Past
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accomplishedsimple
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had accomplishedperfect
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was accomplishingprogressive
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were accomplishingprogressive
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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
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
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The SAT: Language of the Test, 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.
See Examples For:
The debate is complicated by a broad recognition by officials that a single quarter-point increase wouldn’t accomplish much on its own.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
To help accomplish that, Shotwell said SpaceX is deploying 10 times as many of its next-generation Broadband V3 satellites, which are 10 times more capable than current models.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 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
AI agents are able to operate alone to accomplish tasks after human instruction.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
C.P. grew excited thinking of what they could eventually accomplish: a thousand low-income whites marching and rallying to demand better housing and city services.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Like all Fed Chairmen, Mr. Warsh will be judged on whether he accomplishes the fundamental duty of regaining and maintaining stable prices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
The Harvard chip accomplishes this using tiny electrical currents.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026
Being more intentional about your job search accomplishes two goals.
From MarketWatch ● May 15, 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
The only thing he accomplishes is an entirely new sort of map—the city of Imola as seen from above, drawn in perfect proportion.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
A critical duty was arresting 27% inflation, which Zhu accomplished by putting himself in control of the financial sector and firing hapless officials including the country’s central-bank chief.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
In Gaza City, community elders, mokhtars, local dignitaries and civil defense crews gathered Tuesday for a mass funeral after the recovery effort that was accomplished with a single excavator and simple hand tools.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Shock and grief have hit members of the alpine climbing community with the President of Nepal's National Mountain Guide Association Tul Singh Gurung saying they had "lost a generation of accomplished mountaineers".
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
Its job was to fire the upper stage hard enough to send both of the landers out of Earth's orbit and onto a path towards the Moon - mission accomplished.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
According to Washington’s grandson, Frank was “the most polite and accomplished of all butlers.”
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
"Given the critical shortage of air defense missiles from our partners, our warriors are accomplishing truly incredible things," Zelensky said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
“What is keeping Tesla back from accomplishing these short-term goals that they’ve set for themselves?”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
Buffett was an enthusiastic supporter of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, stating in 2006 he "greatly" admired what it was accomplishing and promised to make yearly donations.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
It’s another to hit for a low batting average with 50 homers, a feat that Murakami is well on his way to accomplishing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
Daddy woke up very early the next morning, dead set on accomplishing an important mission—getting work.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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.
