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 of achievement

• success
• accomplishment

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

What is once in a lifetime in some places, once a generation in other places, occasional in the most prosperous of programs, has become a baseline achievement for the men’s and women’s basketball teams in Storrs. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026

The achievement marked the start of the offshore wind farm’s electricity supply to the UK grid. —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026

In 2018, Medina became a co-author in the description of the Mashpi glass frog, an achievement any young biologist could scarcely hope for. —Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026

Joni Mitchell was honored with the lifetime achievement award at the 2026 Juno Awards on Sunday night. —Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for achievement

• bereavement
• underachievement

Kids Definition

achievement

noun

achieve·​ment ə-ˈchēv-mənt 

1

: the act of achieving

2

: something achieved