Cool MateAchievement vs Success
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Achievement
Success
| Achievement | Success | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/əˈtʃiːvmənt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈtʃiːvmənt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/səkˈses/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səkˈses/"]/ |
| Meaning | Something you have done successfully. | When you achieve something you wanted to do. |
| Example | Winning the championship was a great achievement for the team. | His success in the competition made him very proud. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | A1 |
| Part of speech | noun | noun |
| Collocations | amazing, considerable, extraordinary, be, constitute, represent, achievement in, quite an achievement, high, individual, personal, level, standard, measure, gap, award, test, a feeling of achievement, a sense of achievement, a lack of achievement | 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 | failure, defeat, setback |
| Common mistakes | Confusing 'achievement' with 'accomplishment' when used in similar contexts., Using 'achievements' incorrectly as a verb instead of a noun., Not distinguishing between short-term and long-term achievements. | 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 | Use 'achievement' in both formal and informal settings. It's suitable for discussions about school, career, or personal goals, but may not fit casual conversations about everyday events. | Use 'success' when talking about achieving goals or winning in a friendly context. Avoid using it in negative situations or as a mockery. |
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Frequently asked questions: Achievement vs Success
What's the difference between Achievement and Success?
Achievement: Something you have done successfully. Success: When you achieve something you wanted to do.
Which is more common: Achievement and Success?
Success is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Achievement and Success?
Achievement is the highest level, at B1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Achievement and Success the same CEFR level?
Achievement: B1, Success: A1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Achievement and Success?
Achievement: noun, Success: noun.
Can you show an example of each?
Achievement: Winning the championship was a great achievement for the team. Success: His success in the competition made him very proud.
Can I use Achievement and Success interchangeably?
Not always. Achievement 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.