achievement
gb/ət͡ʃˈivmənt/ us/ət͡ʃˈivmənt/
B1
English
~ 2000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
something done successfully
Something good you finish after working hard.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s achievement in [activity/field]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'achievement' (the result) with 'effort' (the work done). Achievement refers to the outcome, not the process.
Synonyms
accomplishment (Slightly more formal; often interchangeable in most contexts.)
Antonyms
failure (Refers to the opposite outcome — not achieving the intended goal.)
Collocations
great achievement
|remarkable achievement
|academic achievement
|personal achievement
|significant achievement
Themes
success
|personal development
|work
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Winning the championship was the team's greatest achievement.
- Her latest book is a remarkable achievement in modern literature.
- Graduating from university was a major personal achievement for him.
- The project represents a significant achievement for the whole company.
- Climbing Mount Everest was an incredible achievement.
Learner examples
- Passing the test was a big achievement for me.
- It was an achievement to finish the race.
- His first painting was a great achievement.
- This is my best achievement so far.
- Making new friends is an achievement for her.
Noun
B2
entity
2
level of skill or success attained
How good someone is at something, especially in school or work.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s level of achievement in [subject/field]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'achievement' here with a single event; in this sense it can also mean overall performance level, not just one result.
Synonyms
attainment (More formal; often used in education and professional settings.)
Antonyms
underachievement (Refers to performing below expected potential.)
Collocations
high achievement
|educational achievement
|student achievement
|academic achievement level
Themes
education
|skills
|performance
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Student achievement in mathematics has improved over the past decade.
- Her musical achievement is recognized worldwide.
- The program aims to raise levels of academic achievement.
- High achievement in sports requires dedication and training.
Learner examples
- The school is proud of the students' achievement.
- He got high achievement in science.
- Her language achievement is very good.
- We want to improve student achievement.
Grammar
Dictionary form
achievement
IPA
GB/ət͡ʃˈivmənt/
US/ət͡ʃˈivmənt/
Syllables & stress
achieve - ment (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ment)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: achievement
- Plural: achievement, achievements
Word family
Forms
achievements
noun
Core family
achieve
verb B1
achievable
adjective B2
Related words
achiever
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unachievable
adjective
Advanced or less common
underachieve
verb
underachievement
noun
Expressions
sense of achievement
1/sˈɛns əv ət͡ʃˈivmənt/
fixed phrase
feeling proud after success
The happy feeling you get when you finish something difficult or important.
Examples
- Completing the marathon gave her a real sense of achievement.
- He felt a strong sense of achievement after fixing the car himself.
academic achievement
1/ˌækədˈɛmɪk ət͡ʃˈivmənt/
fixed phrase
success in school or university work
Good results in school or university work.
Examples
- Her academic achievements earned her a scholarship.
- The school rewards students for high academic achievement.
- The program rewards students for outstanding academic achievement.
- Academic achievement is often linked to good study habits.
crowning achievement
1/kɹˈaʊnɪŋ ət͡ʃˈivmənt/
fixed phrase
most important success someone has had
The best or most important thing someone has done.
Examples
- Winning the Nobel Prize was the crowning achievement of her career.
- Winning the Nobel Prize was her crowning achievement.
- The bridge is considered the architect's crowning achievement.
- His crowning achievement was building the community center.