achieve

- definition

What are red words?

90% of the time, speakers of English use just 7,500 words in speech and writing. These words appear in red, and are graded with stars. One-star words are frequent, two-star words are more frequent, and three-star words are the most frequent.

Thesaurus

The thesaurus of synonyms and related words is fully integrated into the dictionary entries. Click on the T button in an entry to review the synonyms and related words for that meaning.

verb

/əˈtʃiːv/

present tense
I/you/we/they	achieve
he/she/it	achieves
present participle	achieving
past tense	achieved
past participle	achieved

Other entries for this word

Related dictionary definitions

over-achieve verb at over-achiever noun

Metaphor

[transitive] to succeed in doing or having what you planned or intended, usually after a lot of effort
The Republic of Tunisia achieved independence from France in 1957.
the first signs that a breakthrough had been achieved
We have achieved what we set out to do.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of achieve
1. a.
  [intransitive] to be successful by being determined or working hard
  Many managers are driven by a desire to achieve.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of achieve
2. b.
  [transitive] to succeed in becoming popular, famous, or successful, especially after a long time or after a lot of effort
  actors who achieve fame and fortune in Hollywood
  His paintings did not achieve the popularity of his books.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of achieve

derived word

achievable

adjective

Metaphor: achieve

Metaphor

Something you achieve is like a building, and the process of achieving it is like the process of building something.

They built up the business over 20 years.
The organization was built on traditional principles.
This web site is still under construction.
They laid the foundations for future success with a carefully balanced range of products.
This was the blueprint for success.
She was the architect of the company's expansion overseas.
It is a towering achievement.
These developments threatened the whole edifice of government.
All her life's work was in ruins.
Strong foreign markets are the building blocks of a successful economy.
Everything seemed to come crashing down around them.

➡ idea, method, success

Trying to achieve something is like cooking a meal, and you can do this well or badly.

Can you give us your recipe for running a successful business?
This plan is a recipe for disaster.
Of all the half-baked ideas I've ever heard of, this is the craziest.
I think we should put the whole question on the back burner for now.
The proof of the pudding will lie in the deal he manages to strike.
You know what they say about too many cooks: well, they certainly spoiled this particular broth!
We're not making much progress, so it's time to throw something new into the mix.
Unfortunately they overegged the pudding by adding a troupe of dancers and a jazz band.
Now we're really cooking!

This is the British English definition of achieve. View American English definition of achieve.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

View the pronunciation for achieve.

caxirola

a percussion instrument used by football fans which makes a rattling sound when shaken

BuzzWord Article

More BuzzWords

BuzzWord archive

Word of the Day

glean

to learn small pieces of information by asking questions or watching or listening carefully

Open Dictionary

pierce the corporate veil

… the decision to treat the rights and duties of a company as being the same as the rights and duties of its shareholders

add a word

More submissions

view entries

Blog

A must for anyone with an interest in the changing face of language. The Macmillan Dictionary blog explores English as it is spoken around the world today.

global English and language change from our blog