Meaning & use
achieve
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To successfully reach a goal through effort, skill, or work.
Grammar: Takes an object: achieve a goal; it implies effort, unlike simply 'get'.
Patterns
- achieve a goal
- achieve success
- achieve your dream
She achieved her goal of becoming a nurse.
The team achieved success through steady practice.
verbtransitive
To bring about or produce a particular result, level, or condition.
Grammar: The object is a result or effect: achieve a balance, achieve a 10% cut, not 'achieve to' something.
Patterns
- achieve a balance
- achieve results
- achieve an increase
The coach achieved a good balance between rest and training.
We achieved a ten percent reduction in waste.
Word forms
| third person singular | achieves |
|---|---|
| past tense | achieved |
| past participle | achieved |
| -ing form | achieving |
Common combinations
- achieve a goal
- He achieved his goal of saving enough for a car.
- achieve success
- She achieved success as a designer.
- achieve results
- Clear rules help students achieve results.
- achieve a balance
- It is hard to achieve a balance between work and rest.
- achieve recognition
- The volunteer finally achieved recognition for her work.
Synonyms and how they differ
- accomplish
- Accomplish is close, often with tasks; achieve is broader and often about goals or success.
- attain
- Attain is formal and often about high levels or positions; achieve is neutral.
- reach
- Reach simply means arrive at a point; achieve stresses successful effort toward it.
- fulfill
- Fulfill fits promises, duties, or dreams; achieve fits goals and results.
Opposites
Word family
- achievement noun
- something successfully accomplished.
- achievable adjective
- possible to achieve.
- achiever noun
- a person who succeeds through effort.
Commonly confused: achieve or archive?
achieve vs archive
Archive means to store records; spell achieve with 'ie' after ch, not 'ar'.
Practice
The volunteers have ___ real progress this year.
Choose one answer.
After have, use the past participle achieved; achieves needs a singular subject, achieve is base form, and achieving needs a helping verb like are.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “achieve”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.