accomplishments

IPA/əˈkʌm.plɪʃ.mənt/
KK[əkˈɑmplɪʃmənts]IPA/əˈkɑːm.plɪʃ.mənt/

accomplishments — noun

  • accomplishmentssingular
  • accomplishmentsesplural

1. things that someone has succeeded in doing, especially after putting in hard wor

1.nounB2
Definition

things that someone has succeeded in doing, especially after putting in hard work or effort over time — for example, completing a difficult project, winning a competition, or reaching a personal goal.

Example

Haruto's academic accomplishments earned him a scholarship to study abroad.

collocation: academic accomplishments

The team celebrated their accomplishments after winning the regional competition.

Common collocations
  • academic accomplishments
  • professional accomplishments
  • greatest accomplishments
  • major accomplishments
  • proudest accomplishments
Synonyms
  • achievements

    the most direct synonym; interchangeable in most contexts

  • successes

    focuses on the positive outcome rather than the effort involved

  • feats

    emphasizes the difficulty or impressiveness of what was done

Antonyms
  • failures

    things that did not work out or goals that were not reached

Usage Note

Typically used in the plural form even when the speaker has one or two achievements in mind. The singular form 'accomplishment' is less frequent and often appears in fixed phrases like 'sense of accomplishment'.

Common Mistakes

She has many accomplishment in her career.
She has many accomplishments in her career.
'accomplishment' is a countable noun and must take plural -s when used with 'many'.

2. the act of finishing something that one has planned or set out to do — for examp

2.nounB2
Definition

the act of finishing something that one has planned or set out to do — for example, completing a project, reaching a milestone, or fulfilling a duty.

Example

The successful accomplishment of the project required months of careful planning.

pattern: the [adjective] accomplishment of [noun]

Tuan took great pride in the accomplishment of building furniture from scratch.

Common collocations
  • accomplishment of a goal
  • accomplishment of a task
  • accomplishment of a mission
  • successful accomplishment
Synonyms
  • completion

    more general; interchangeable in most cases

  • achievement

    overlaps with sense 1; can mean either the act or the result

  • fulfillment

    adds a sense of satisfaction or duty carried out

Antonyms

Usage Note

This sense is uncountable and usually paired with 'the — of [something]'. It is more formal than sense 1 and commonly appears in written or professional contexts. Distinguish from sense 1: the completion sense focuses on the process of finishing, whereas sense 1 focuses on the result itself.

Common Mistakes

The accomplishments of the project took three months.
The accomplishment of the project took three months.
When referring to the act of finishing (not the result), use the singular uncountable form.

3. special skills or talents that someone has learned and developed through trainin

3.nounB2
Definition

special skills or talents that someone has learned and developed through training or practice — for example, playing an instrument, speaking a foreign language, or mastering a craft.

Example

Rafael's artistic accomplishments included painting, calligraphy, and pottery.

collocation: artistic accomplishments

Tara's musical accomplishments on the violin impressed the entire orchestra.

collocation: musical accomplishments

Common collocations
  • artistic accomplishments
  • musical accomplishments
  • technical accomplishments
  • literary accomplishments
  • accomplishments in
Synonyms
  • skills

    more general; focuses on ability rather than achievement

  • talents

    emphasizes natural ability, not necessarily learned

  • expertise

    formal; suggests a high level of knowledge or skill

Usage Note

Often modified by an adjective describing the type of skill (e.g. 'artistic', 'musical', 'technical', 'literary'). When specifying the domain, the pattern 'accomplishments in + [area]' is common.

Common Mistakes

She has accomplishment in piano.
She has accomplishments in piano.
Use the plural form when referring to developed skills or abilities in a particular area.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Accomplishments' and 'achievements' are the closest synonyms and can often be used interchangeably, though 'accomplishments' may carry a slightly stronger sense of effort overcome. 'Successes' focuses more on the favorable outcome — a business deal can be a success even if little effort was involved, whereas an accomplishment implies personal work. 'Feats' highlights the difficulty or daring of what was done (e.g. 'climbing Everest was an incredible feat'). In everyday use, 'accomplishments' and 'achievements' are the safest choices; use 'successes' when the outcome itself matters most, and 'feats' when you want to emphasize the challenge.

achievements ↗successes ↗feats ↗accomplishments ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • list of accomplishments
  • sense of accomplishment
  • feeling of accomplishment
  • record of accomplishments

Phrases

  • a track record of accomplishments
  • proud of one's accomplishments

Prepositions

  • accomplishments in
  • accomplishments of

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'accomplishment' comes from the Old French 'acomplir', meaning 'to complete or fulfill', which itself comes from the Latin 'complere' — 'to fill up'. The sense shifted from simply 'filling up' to 'carrying out fully' and then to 'something successfully completed or achieved'.

First known use

15th century

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1