Cool MateAttainment vs Success
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Attainment
FormalTop 5,000 (fairly common)
Success
Top 1,000 (very common)A1noun
Most formal: AttainmentMost common: Success
| Attainment | Success | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //əˈteɪnmənt//🇺🇸 //əˈteɪnmənt// | 🇬🇧 /["/səkˈses/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səkˈses/"]/ |
| Meaning | Achieving a goal or something desired. | When you achieve something you wanted to do. |
| Example | The attainment of a college degree opens many career opportunities. | His success in the competition made him very proud. |
| Register | Formal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A1 |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | academic attainment, social attainment, attainment goals, educational attainment, attainment levels | enormous, great, immense, amount, degree, level, achieve, attain, enjoy, come, lie (in something), depend on something, rate, story, factor, with success, without success, success in, a chance of success, a hope of success, confident of success, resounding, roaring, rousing, be, prove, have, wish somebody (every) success |
| Antonyms | - | failure, defeat, setback |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'achievement' - attainment focuses on the process., Often used incorrectly as a verb - it's a noun., Misused in informal contexts - better for formal discussions. | Confused with 'successfully', which is an adverb., Used incorrectly as a verb instead of the noun form., Misplaced in sentences, such as 'We have success' instead of 'We are successful'. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in academic and professional contexts. Not suitable for casual conversation. | Use 'success' when talking about achieving goals or winning in a friendly context. Avoid using it in negative situations or as a mockery. |
Frequently asked questions: Attainment vs Success
What's the difference between Attainment and Success?
Attainment: Achieving a goal or something desired. Success: When you achieve something you wanted to do.
Which is more formal: Attainment and Success?
Attainment is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Attainment and Success?
Success is the most common in everyday English.
Can I use Attainment and Success interchangeably?
Not always. Attainment and Success are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.