Accomplishment
noun
Definition
1. (noun) Something difficult or impressive that you have successfully done or achieved.
2. (noun) The act of finishing or completing something successfully.
2. (noun) The act of finishing or completing something successfully.
Context Alive
Your cousin just graduated from university. It took her six years instead of four because she was working full-time to pay for it. At the dinner table, your uncle raised his glass and said this is a real accomplishment. Everyone agreed. She didn't have it easy but she kept going. You could see she was proud of herself, and she should be.
Meanings
2 meanings 1 Something You Achieved (Noun) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about something you did that was hard and you're proud of. Imagine someone who couldn't swim at all two years ago and now they've completed a 5km open-water race — that's a real accomplishment. This is describing the result of hard work, effort, or skill. You might say "getting into that university was her biggest accomplishment" about someone who studied really hard to get accepted, or someone could say "list your accomplishments on your CV" when helping you prepare for a job application. Or think about a small business owner who started with nothing and now has three shops — each one is an accomplishment they can be proud of. The word suggests something that took real effort and deserves respect.
✏️ Accomplishment is a bit more formal than "achievement" in everyday conversation, but they're very close in meaning. You'll see accomplishment a lot in CVs, job interviews, and speeches. In American English, it's slightly more common than in British English, where people might say "achievement" more often.
2 The Act of Completing Something (Noun) Common ▼
This meaning is about the process of getting something done — finishing a task or reaching a goal. Imagine a team that's been working on a project for two years and they finally launch it — the accomplishment of that goal feels amazing for everyone involved. This is describing the completion itself, not just the result. You might hear "the accomplishment of this task will take several months" in a work meeting about a long project, or someone could say "she felt a sense of accomplishment after finishing the marathon" about the feeling of completing something hard. Or picture someone who finally clears out their entire garage after putting it off for years — it's a small thing, but the accomplishment of it feels great. The word suggests satisfaction that comes from finishing what you started.
✏️ The phrase "sense of accomplishment" is very common and useful. It describes that warm, proud feeling you get after finishing something difficult. You'll hear it everywhere — from teachers talking about students to gym trainers motivating people. It's one of the best collocations to learn with this word.
Common Patterns
Basic Structures
a/an + adjective + accomplishment → describing the type or size of the achievement
Learning to drive at 50 was a major accomplishment for her.
sense of + accomplishment → the proud feeling after achieving something
Finishing the project gave the whole team a real sense of accomplishment.
greatest/biggest + accomplishment → the most impressive thing someone has done
Raising three kids on her own was her greatest accomplishment.
Common Structures
list of + accomplishments → a summary of things someone has achieved
His list of accomplishments includes two published books and a patent.
proud of + accomplishment(s) → feeling good about what you've achieved
She's proud of her accomplishments and she has every right to be.
the accomplishment of + noun/gerund → the completion of a specific goal or task
The accomplishment of this mission required years of preparation.
Collocations
10 collocationsgreat accomplishment
something very impressive that was achieved
major accomplishment
a big and important achievement
personal accomplishment
something you achieved for yourself, not for work or others
remarkable accomplishment
an achievement that is surprising and impressive
sense of accomplishment
the proud feeling you get after completing something
significant accomplishment
an achievement that matters and has real value
proud accomplishment
something you did that makes you feel proud
academic accomplishment
an achievement related to education or study
career accomplishment
something impressive you achieved in your working life
list of accomplishments
a collection of things someone has achieved
Example Sentences
10 examples
1
Graduating while working two jobs was an incredible accomplishment.
Finishing university while holding two jobs at the same time was truly impressive.
2
She listed her accomplishments on her CV and it filled two pages.
She wrote down everything she had achieved and it covered two full pages.
3
Running a marathon gave him a huge sense of accomplishment.
Completing a marathon made him feel incredibly proud of himself.
4
Building this company from nothing is probably my greatest accomplishment.
Creating this business from scratch is likely the most impressive thing I've ever done.
5
The team celebrated the accomplishment of their five-year plan.
The team celebrated finally completing the goals they had set five years ago.
6
For a child, tying their own shoes is a real accomplishment.
For a young kid, learning to do up their own laces is a genuine achievement.
7
Don't play down your accomplishments — you worked hard for them.
Don't make your achievements sound small — you put in a lot of effort to earn them.
8
His accomplishments in science earned him international recognition.
What he achieved in the scientific field brought him fame around the world.
9
Cooking a full dinner by herself felt like a big accomplishment for the ten-year-old.
Making an entire meal on her own felt like a huge achievement for the young girl.
10
The accomplishment of peace in the region took decades of negotiation.
Achieving peace in the area required many years of talks and agreements.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsachievement
the closest synonym — slightly more common in everyday British English
feat
emphasises how difficult or impressive it was — often used for physical or dramatic things
milestone
focuses on it being an important step in a longer journey
Antonymsfailure
the opposite — not succeeding at what you tried to do
setback
something that slows your progress or pushes you backwards
defeat
being beaten or losing — the opposite of achieving something