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 of achievement

• 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

Most recently, Natasha, Emma and Lucy were all in attendance at the Kennedy Center Honors in early December 2025, when Michael was honored for his achievements in the arts. —Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 24 Dec. 2025

Due in large part to Nigeria’s colonial past, many citizens have been deprived of knowing the great cultural and artistic achievements of Nigerian heritage. —Folasade Ologundudu, Essence, 23 Dec. 2025

And as states started to abandon Common Core, school controversies began to focus less on standards and achievement than on competing understandings of America itself. —Jonathan Zimmerman, The Atlantic, 23 Dec. 2025

The impressive achievement caught Elon Musk’s attention, and Mueller was hired as SpaceX’s first employee. —Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 23 Dec. 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