accomplish

verb

ac·​com·​plish ə-ˈkäm-plish  -ˈkəm- 

accomplished; accomplishing; accomplishes

transitive verb

1

: to bring about (a result) by effort

have much to accomplish today

2

: to bring to completion : fulfill

accomplish a job

3

: to succeed in reaching (a stage in a progression)

would starve before accomplishing half the distance

—W. H. Hudson †1922

4

archaic

a

: to equip thoroughly

b

: perfect

accomplishable

ə-ˈkäm-pli-shə-bəl 

-ˈkəm-

adjective

accomplisher noun

Synonyms

• achieve
• bring off
• carry off
• carry out
• commit
• compass
• do
• execute
• follow through (with)
• fulfill
• fulfil
• make
• negotiate
• perform
• perpetrate
• prosecute
• pull off
• put through

Choose the Right Synonym for accomplish

perform, execute, discharge, accomplish, achieve, effect, fulfill mean to carry out or into effect.

perform implies action that follows established patterns or procedures or fulfills agreed-upon requirements and often connotes special skill.

performed gymnastics

execute stresses the carrying out of what exists in plan or in intent.

executed the hit-and-run

discharge implies execution and completion of appointed duties or tasks.

discharged his duties

accomplish stresses the successful completion of a process rather than the means of carrying it out.

accomplished everything they set out to do

achieve adds to accomplish the implication of conquered difficulties.

achieve greatness

effect adds to achieve an emphasis on the inherent force in the agent capable of surmounting obstacles.

effected sweeping reforms

fulfill implies a complete realization of ends or possibilities.

fulfilled their ambitions

Examples of accomplish in a Sentence

There are several different ways to accomplish the same task.

Exactly what he thought he would accomplish is unclear.

Recent Examples on the Web

What did the Russians want to accomplish by invading Ukraine? —Samuel Charap, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2024

That is to say, if the goal is to safely and compliantly bank cannabis, most of us in the industry have accomplished that objective. —Alissa Jubelirer, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2024

According to a press release, Babbitt Jr. helped accomplish the following projects during his 18 years on Coconino County's Board of supervisors. —Abigail Celaya, The Arizona Republic, 14 Apr. 2024

Throughout the four days, students became even more inspired to accomplish their dreams through career workshops, performances, personal makeovers, and networking opportunities. —Essence, 11 Apr. 2024

The best 12-gauge turkey shotguns paired with an appropriate choke will accomplish this with a TSS turkey load from 40 to 60 yards. —Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 10 Apr. 2024

The last team to accomplish the feat was UConn in 2016. —Patricia Garcia, Sacramento Bee, 9 Apr. 2024

But some states are already there while others will still be struggling to reach the benchmark even after the nation effectively has declared mission accomplished. —Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024

Editors’ Picks Edinburgh was the birthplace of James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879), who had accomplished the first great unification of physics, showing that electricity and magnetism were different manifestations of the same force, electromagnetism, which constitutes light. —Dennis Overbye, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English acomplicen, accomplisshen, borrowed from Anglo-French acomplis-, stem of acomplir, acumplir, from a-, prefix forming transitive verbs (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + complir, cumplir "to complete, fulfill," going back (with conjugation change) to Latin complēre "to fill up, complete" — more at complete entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

accomplish

verb

ac·​com·​plish ə-ˈkäm-plish  -ˈkəm- 

: to bring to a successful finish : perform

accomplishable

-ə-bəl 

adjective