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

• 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

The Democrats view this story as nothing more than an attempt to distract from the accomplishments and achievements of this administration. —Julie K Brown, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025

My father’s generation in Korea was focused so heavily on achievement and economic development. —Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025

For Barberot, this isn’t just an engineering achievement, but a comprehensive solution that delivers both ecological and economic value to airlines. —Karl Moore, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025

In addition to measuring students' academic achievement, NAEP also surveys things like students' comfort level with certain subjects and their attendance. —Sequoia Carrillo, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025

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