What does accomplishment mean?
Accomplishment is a noun referring to something that has been achieved successfully, particularly through effort, skill, or persistence. It can denote both the completed thing itself — a finished project, a hard-won qualification, a personal milestone — and the act or process of bringing something to completion. The word carries strongly positive connotations: to call something an accomplishment is to recognise the difficulty overcome in achieving it, which is why phrases like 'no small accomplishment' are so common. People also speak of 'a sense of accomplishment', the quiet satisfaction felt after finishing demanding work. Historically, the term had a narrower social meaning: in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a young person's 'accomplishments' were the polished skills expected of good breeding, such as playing an instrument or speaking French. Today the word is used across formal and informal contexts, from résumés and performance reviews to everyday conversation, making it a versatile way to describe human achievement in all its forms.
nounSomething that has been achieved successfully, especially through effort, skill, or persistence; the act or process of completing or achieving something.
- An achievement — something notable that a person has succeeded in doing, especially through skill, effort, or persistence.
- The act or process of completing or carrying something through to completion (e.g. 'the accomplishment of the task').
- (Historical/social) A socially valued skill or grace, especially one cultivated as part of polite education, such as music or dancing.
"Learning to play the piano at seventy was a remarkable accomplishment."
"Graduating with honours while working two jobs was her proudest accomplishment."
"The accomplishment of the merger took nearly two years of negotiation."
The plural is standard and common, typically referring to multiple achievements or, in older usage, a set of refined skills.
"Her accomplishments include fluency in three languages and a black belt in judo."
The word 'accomplishment' once carried a very different meaning: in the 18th century, a woman's 'accomplishments' were genteel skills like needlework and piano-playing — Jane Austen's heroines were judged by them.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of accomplishment
Accomplishment derives from the verb accomplish, which entered English from Old French acompliss- (the stem of acomplir), itself from the Latin verb complere, meaning 'to fill up' or 'to complete'. The root is the Latin prefix ad- ('to, towards') combined with complere, the same root that gives English complete, comply, and fulfil (via Old Norse influence on full). The noun accomplishment appeared in English in the late Middle Ages, initially meaning simply the fulfilment or completion of something, before broadening by the seventeenth century to mean an achievement and later acquiring its specialised social sense of a cultivated skill.
Related word forms
How accomplishment is actually used
The word is neutral to positive in connotation and common in both formal and everyday registers. In the plural ('accomplishments'), it often refers collectively to a person's achievements or skills, and in older or formal usage can denote refined social graces. It frequently appears in the phrase 'a sense of accomplishment', describing the satisfying feeling that follows completing something difficult.
Easily confused with accomplishment
A compliment is an expression of praise or admiration, whereas an accomplishment is something achieved — though one might compliment someone on their accomplishments.