accomplish
B1/B2 (Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate)Formal to neutral; common in professional, academic, and written contexts.
Definition
Meaning
to successfully complete something or achieve a goal, especially after effort
To bring to its goal or conclusion; to carry out; to execute fully.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies successful completion of something requiring effort or skill. Less common for routine tasks.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is virtually identical. No significant lexical or grammatical differences.
Connotations
Slightly more formal than 'do' or 'finish'. Often used in contexts of significant achievement.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Sb accomplish sthSb accomplish doing sth (less common)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Mission accomplished.”
- “accomplished fact (fait accompli)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
We need to accomplish our quarterly targets.
Academic
The study accomplished its primary research objectives.
Everyday
I accomplished everything on my to-do list today.
Technical
The software patch accomplished the necessary security fix.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The team accomplished the project ahead of schedule.
- She felt she had accomplished very little that day.
American English
- He accomplished all his career goals by age 40.
- What do you hope to accomplish this year?
adverb
British English
- The plan was accomplishedly executed.
- (Note: 'accomplishedly' is rare; 'skilfully' is preferred)
American English
- She played the sonata quite accomplishedly.
- (Note: Very infrequent in modern use.)
adjective
British English
- She is a highly accomplished pianist.
- His accomplished performance won the award.
American English
- He's an accomplished public speaker.
- The report was an accomplished piece of analysis.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I can accomplish simple tasks in English.
- Did you accomplish your homework?
- We finally accomplished our goal of raising £1000.
- It's important to feel you accomplish something each day.
- The negotiators accomplished a complex agreement between the two companies.
- Despite the obstacles, she accomplished what she set out to do.
- The novel accomplishes the difficult feat of being both humorous and profoundly tragic.
- The policy has failed to accomplish its intended societal outcomes.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'A company wishes to ACCOMPLISH its goals.'
Conceptual Metaphor
ACHIEVEMENT IS A JOURNEY (reach the destination), ACHIEVEMENT IS A CONTAINER (fill it).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not 'исполнять' in the sense of performing music (that's 'perform' or 'play').
- Closer to 'достигать', 'выполнять', 'осуществлять'. Avoid confusing with 'accompany' ('сопровождать').
Common Mistakes
- Using 'accomplish' for very simple tasks ('I accomplished making a sandwich' – odd).
- Confusing 'accomplish' (successful completion) with 'do' (general action).
- Overusing in informal speech where 'do', 'finish', or 'get done' is more natural.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'accomplish' most naturally?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Accomplish' often focuses on successfully completing a specific task or goal. 'Achieve' often emphasizes the end result gained by effort, like achieving success, fame, or a high score. They are often interchangeable for goals.
It's possible but can sound unnatural or overly formal. For small tasks like 'making the bed' or 'sending an email', 'do', 'finish', or 'get done' are more common in casual speech.
Primarily, yes. As an adjective, it means highly skilled or proficient (an accomplished musician). The past tense/participle of the verb is also 'accomplished' (They have accomplished the work).
Yes, 'accomplishment'. It can mean 1) the successful completion of something ('a sense of accomplishment'), or 2) a skill or ability ('Speaking five languages is quite an accomplishment').