achievement

noun

achieve·​ment ə-ˈchēv-mənt 

1

: the act of achieving something

the achievement of an ambition

2

a

: a result gained by effort : accomplishment

being honored for her academic achievements

a major scientific achievement

b

: a great or heroic deed

3

: the quality and quantity of a student's work

standardized tests to measure achievement

Synonyms

• accomplishment
• acquirement
• attainment
• baby
• coup
• success
• triumph

Choose the Right Synonym for achievement

feat, exploit, achievement mean a remarkable deed.

feat implies strength or dexterity or daring.

an acrobatic feat

exploit suggests an adventurous or heroic act.

his exploits as a spy

achievement implies hard-won success in the face of difficulty or opposition.

her achievements as a chemist

Examples of achievement in a Sentence

The discovery of DNA was a major scientific achievement.

It was a great achievement.

Getting the project done on time was a real achievement.

Recent Examples on the Web

Carter, who served as the 39th president from 1977 to 1981, is remembered for both his political achievements and extensive humanitarian efforts. —Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024

One of the crowning foreign policy achievements of Carter's single term as U.S. president was brokering a series of agreements that later came to be called the Camp David accords in 1978. —Emily Feng, NPR, 30 Dec. 2024

Carter is also rightly lauded for the achievements of his post-presidency—from conflict mediation to guinea worm eradication in Africa to Habitat for Humanity. —Jane Harman, TIME, 30 Dec. 2024

His big foreign policy achievement — personally brokering the 1978 Camp David peace treaty between Israel and Egypt — failed to save him. —Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 30 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Anglo-French achevement, from achever "to achieve" + -ment -ment

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing achievement

• sense of achievement

Kids Definition

achievement

noun

achieve·​ment ə-ˈchēv-mənt 

1

: the act of achieving

2

: something achieved