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

Alongside their impressive achievements, the founding generation failed to reach a just accommodation with the Native American population, and failed to end slavery or, more realistically, put it on the road to extinction. —Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025

The project will identify achievements and limitations in diversity data collection and provide recommendations and actionable insights to inform best practices. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025

Another achievement in the bag The 40-second video shows the Oli humanoids standing opposite each other in a LimX laboratory on a square platform with a yellow strip acting as a separator line between them. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2025

The company aims to reach carbon-neutral energy production throughout its entire network, marking a significant achievement in an industry with high resource consumption. —William Jones, Freep.com, 27 Oct. 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