achievement

noun achieve·ment \ ə-ˈchēv-mənt \

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

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

SWAN day is a chance to raise funds, to spotlight achievements by women in the arts.

— john adamian, courant.com, "SWAN Day At Trinity-On-Main Celebrates Women Artists," 7 Apr. 2018
Fernandez picked up the argument in another round of public comment, criticizing the board for its narrow scope, few policy achievements and lack of gender or ethnic diversity on the nine-member volunteer committee.

— alex harris, miamiherald, "Should Miami’s sea level rise committee address climate change, too? | Miami Herald," 5 Apr. 2018
The Youth of the Year program recognizes club members with superior leadership skills, academic achievement and outstanding community service while overcoming significant obstacles.

— linda mcintosh, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Youth of the Year picked at Boys & Girls Club," 4 Apr. 2018
Click here for curated playlists, videos, podcasts and more that celebrate Black achievements and culture beyond Black History Month.

— jill golden, Time, "Octavia Butler 101: Two Scholars on the Sci-Fi Genius Who Inspired Janelle Monáe," 4 Apr. 2018
In regular season and postseason success, the Big 12 is coming off one of the top five years in its history, and being the only conference to produce a football (Oklahoma) and basketball (Kansas) national semifinalist is no small achievement.

— blair kerkhoff, kansascity, "Early college basketball forecast for 2018-19: Is the sport on the bubble? | The Kansas City Star," 3 Apr. 2018
The mind-set was still there in 2009, when Villanova reached its first Final Four in 24 years, but after that achievement the program lost some of its edge.

— dan greene, SI.com, "Villanova's Dominance Proves the Power of a Well-Built Program," 3 Apr. 2018
Lemon, who came out publicly in his 2011 memoir, Transparent, was being honored at the inaugural 2016 Native Son Awards, a ceremony celebrating the visibility and achievements of African-American gay men.

— gerren keith gaynor, The Root, "Don Lemon Helped Me Come Out to My Mother and It Changed My Life Forever," 3 Apr. 2018
Anikamadu shares a historic pedigree with Boos, a Marquette junior, not only with school affiliation but also with career achievements in McHenry County and the Fox Valley Conference.

— kevin mcgavin, Elgin Courier-News, "Bluegrass-bound: Kentucky recruit Dubem Anikamadu leads deep sprint group for Huntley boys track," 3 Apr. 2018

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

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

achievement Synonyms

Phrases

a feather in one's cap;

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