achievement

noun achieve·ment \ ə-ˈchēv-mənt \

Definition of achievement

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

See achievement defined for English-language learners

See achievement defined for kids

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 of achievement from the Web

After eight months without any major legislative victories and after a significant defeat on health care, Trump and Republican congressional leaders face mounting pressure to notch some significant achievements before next year’s midterm elections.

— Washington Post, "Trump pushes tax overhaul to ‘bring back Main Street’," 31 Aug. 2017
To be sure, urban students don’t post achievement scores equal to their suburban peers.

— jack schneider, The Atlantic, "The Urban-School Stigma," 25 Aug. 2017
In 2005, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle honored Don and Bonnie Ward with a lifetime achievement award for their distinguished work in musical theater over the decades.

— james hebert, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Longtime theater director and mentor Don Ward, 83," 23 Aug. 2017
And worse than that, positive agenda achievement lacking in bombastic style is heretical.

— david l. bahnsen, National Review, "A Profound Tension Point for Conservatives," 21 Aug. 2017
In the eyes of prominent present-day sci-fi critic Gary Westfahl, this was a heroic achievement unto itself.

— ryan p. smith, Smithsonian, "Fifty Years Later, Remembering Sci-Fi Pioneer Hugo Gernsback," 18 Aug. 2017
The achievements at the World Championships only add to the ever-growing legacy of the most accomplished swimmer in Chesterton history.

— brandon vickrey, Post-Tribune, "Blake Pieroni adds to gold medal collection at World Championships," 16 Aug. 2017
Just getting to 40 homers was an achievement for Stanton, who has been badgered by injuries throughout his career and had never hit more than 37 in any one season.

— clark spencer, miamiherald, "Marcell Ozuna thinks Giancarlo Stanton can hit 70 home runs. Seriously.," 12 Aug. 2017
Trump, quite by mistake, is revealing the true scale of his predecessor’s achievements.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Obama’s Legacy Is Finally Coming Into Focus, Thanks to Trump," 1 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'achievement.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of achievement

see achieve

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

achievement Synonyms

Synonyms

accomplishment, acquirement, attainment, baby, coup, success, triumph

Antonyms

nonachievement

Related Words

blockbuster, hit, jackpot, megahit, miracle, smash, winner; conquest, gain, victory, win; skill; deed, feat, performance; arrival, completion, consummation, culmination, execution, fruition, fulfillment (or fulfilment), implementation, realization

Near Antonyms

botch, cock-up [British], mess, muddle, shambles; bummer, bust, catastrophe, debacle (also débâcle), disaster, dud, failure, fiasco, fizzle, flop, washout; disappointment, letdown, loss, setback

Synonym Discussion of 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

ACHIEVEMENT Defined for English Language Learners

achievement

noun

Definition of achievement for English Language Learners

: something that has been done or achieved through effort : a result of hard work
: the act of achieving something : the state or condition of having achieved or accomplished something