achieve

verb

achieved; achieving; achieves

transitive verb

: to succeed at reaching or accomplishing (a goal, result, etc.) especially through effort
achieved fame
achieved a certain level of success
hoping to achieve their objective
talks aimed at achieving peace
You've worked hard, made sacrifices and have finally achieved your dream.Lewis Howes
When a show achieves cult status …, it inevitably loses some of its original charm.Debra Craine
He often achieved an effect with jokes where mere oratory would not work so well …Paul Johnson
Try to achieve a balance between relaxation and responsibility.Russell Grant
A quadruple jump entails four rotations, as the name implies. But exactly how skaters achieve the feat can vary.Candice Choi
… the good work achieved during his long tenure has often been overlooked …James Riach

intransitive verb

: to reach or bring about a desired end or goal : to become successful
We shouldn't be afraid to push our kids to achieve.John Keilman
achievable adjective

Did you know?

Common Misspellings

acheive, achive

Choose the Right Synonym for achieve

perform, execute, discharge, accomplish, achieve, effect, fulfill mean to carry out or into effect.

perform implies action that follows established patterns or procedures or fulfills agreed-upon requirements and often connotes special skill.

performed gymnastics

execute stresses the carrying out of what exists in plan or in intent.

executed the hit-and-run

discharge implies execution and completion of appointed duties or tasks.

discharged his duties

accomplish stresses the successful completion of a process rather than the means of carrying it out.

accomplished everything they set out to do

achieve adds to accomplish the implication of conquered difficulties.

achieve greatness

effect adds to achieve an emphasis on the inherent force in the agent capable of surmounting obstacles.

effected sweeping reforms

fulfill implies a complete realization of ends or possibilities.

fulfilled their ambitions

Examples of achieve in a Sentence

a diet that achieves dramatic results With much practice, she has achieved a high level of skill. They achieved high scores on their math tests. We give students the skills they need in order to achieve in college.
Recent Examples on the Web Ariana Grande achieves her sixth No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart as Eternal Sunshine bows atop the list (dated March 23), launching with 227,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending March 14, according to Luminate. Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 17 Mar. 2024 Tayler has not only achieved remarkable musical milestones in her time in high school but has also demonstrated leadership, collaborating with peers, and contributing significantly to our musical community. Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024 Defying gravity Starship’s eventful third test flight achieved multiple milestones before ending prematurely and likely breaking apart. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024 The artist achieves this effect by dropping strands of a soft material onto an exposure unit, which uses ultraviolet light to fix an emulsion onto a template for printing. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 The charitable body achieves that through a variety of programs for aspirational Latinx, including mentorship and access to funding. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 While these undergarments won't completely flatten the chest and could cause body dysphoria for some, different styles might help achieve multiple looks or offer options for youth who need to accommodate varying activities. Lauren Rowello, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024 Like in other rooms, keep scale in mind and mix large, small, and medium-scale patterns to achieve balance. Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2024 While ongoing research from the Image Permanence Institute at Rochester Institute of Technology, and elsewhere, is helping to inform and drive industry standards and best practice guidelines in preservation, disseminating that information more broadly can help achieve important consensus. Brent Simon, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'achieve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English acheven, borrowed from Anglo-French achever "to complete, carry out, succeed," from a-, prefix forming telic and transitive verbs (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + -chever, verbal derivative from chef, chief "end, head" — more at chief entry 3

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of achieve was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near achieve

Cite this Entry

“Achieve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/achieve. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

achieve

verb
achieved; achieving
1
: accomplish
achieved our purpose
2
: to get by effort
achieve greatness
achievable adjective
achiever noun
Etymology

Middle English acheven "achieve," from early French achever "to finish," from a- "to" and cheef "end, head," from Latin caput "head" — related to capital, chief

More from Merriam-Webster on achieve

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!