B2 Collocation Neutre 2 min de lecture

major achievement

إنجاز كبير

Use it to highlight a success that required significant effort and has lasting importance.

En 15 secondes

  • A significant success requiring hard work and skill.
  • Used for career milestones, academic degrees, or personal breakthroughs.
  • More powerful than just saying 'good job' or 'success'.

Signification

This phrase describes a very important success that took a lot of work. Use it when someone achieves something that truly changes their life or career.

Exemples clés

3 sur 6
1

Congratulating a colleague on a promotion

Getting promoted to director is a major achievement; you earned it!

الحصول على ترقية لمدير هو إنجاز كبير؛ لقد استحققتها!

💼
2

Talking about a scientific discovery

Developing the vaccine in record time was a major achievement for science.

تطوير اللقاح في وقت قياسي كان إنجازاً كبيراً للعلم.

👔
3

Texting a friend who finished a marathon

You finished the race! That is such a major achievement, I'm so proud!

لقد أنهيت السباق! هذا إنجاز كبير حقاً، أنا فخور جداً!

🤝
🌍

Contexte culturel

The phrase is deeply rooted in the 'meritocracy' culture of English-speaking countries, where success is often measured by documented milestones. It became a staple of corporate and academic language in the mid-20th century to distinguish routine work from breakthrough successes.

💡

Pair it with 'Represent'

It makes the success sound more symbolic and meaningful.

⚠️

Watch for Sarcasm

If you say 'Wow, you brushed your teeth, what a major achievement,' people will think you are being mean or funny.

En 15 secondes

  • A significant success requiring hard work and skill.
  • Used for career milestones, academic degrees, or personal breakthroughs.
  • More powerful than just saying 'good job' or 'success'.

What It Means

Think of major achievement as the 'gold medal' of success. It is not just about finishing a small task. It is about reaching a goal that actually matters. It implies you worked hard and overcame obstacles. If you finish your laundry, that is a task. If you graduate from university, that is a major achievement.

How To Use It

You can use this phrase as a noun. It often follows verbs like is, was, or represents. You might say, "Winning this contract is a major achievement for us." It sounds strong and professional. It tells people that the event is worth celebrating. Don't be shy about using it for yourself too. It shows you are proud of your hard work.

When To Use It

Use it in the office when a project finishes. Use it at graduations or weddings. It is perfect for LinkedIn posts or resumes. You can also use it when a friend finally learns a difficult skill. Maybe they finally learned to bake a souffle without it collapsing? That is definitely a major achievement in my book!

When NOT To Use It

Avoid using it for tiny, everyday things. If you found your lost keys, do not call it a major achievement. People will think you are being sarcastic. Also, do not use it for things that happened by pure luck. If you won five dollars on a scratch card, it is lucky, but not an achievement. It requires effort and skill to earn this title.

Cultural Background

In Western culture, people love to celebrate individual milestones. There is a big focus on 'climbing the ladder.' Because of this, major achievement is a very common phrase in news and speeches. It reflects the value placed on hard work and personal progress. It is the language of the 'American Dream' and professional growth.

Common Variations

You will often hear people say significant achievement or huge accomplishment. These mean almost the same thing. If you want to sound even more impressed, try monumental achievement. If it is the best thing someone has ever done, call it their crowning achievement. Just make sure you have the cake ready for the celebration!

Notes d'usage

This is a versatile 'neutral' phrase. It works perfectly in a boardroom or at a birthday party. Just avoid using it for trivial things unless you want to sound sarcastic.

💡

Pair it with 'Represent'

It makes the success sound more symbolic and meaningful.

⚠️

Watch for Sarcasm

If you say 'Wow, you brushed your teeth, what a major achievement,' people will think you are being mean or funny.

💬

The 'Understated' Achievement

A British person might call a huge success 'not bad,' but you can still use 'major achievement' to show you are genuinely impressed.

Exemples

6
#1 Congratulating a colleague on a promotion
💼

Getting promoted to director is a major achievement; you earned it!

الحصول على ترقية لمدير هو إنجاز كبير؛ لقد استحققتها!

Shows professional respect and acknowledges hard work.

#2 Talking about a scientific discovery
👔

Developing the vaccine in record time was a major achievement for science.

تطوير اللقاح في وقت قياسي كان إنجازاً كبيراً للعلم.

Used for global or historical events.

#3 Texting a friend who finished a marathon
🤝

You finished the race! That is such a major achievement, I'm so proud!

لقد أنهيت السباق! هذا إنجاز كبير حقاً، أنا فخور جداً!

Warm and supportive for personal physical goals.

#4 A humorous comment about surviving a hard week
😄

Making it to Friday without crying is my major achievement for the week.

الوصول إلى يوم الجمعة دون بكاء هو إنجازي الكبير لهذا الأسبوع.

Uses hyperbole for comedic effect.

#5 Writing a self-evaluation for work
👔

I consider the launch of the new app to be my major achievement this year.

أعتبر إطلاق التطبيق الجديد إنجازي الكبير هذا العام.

Standard phrase for performance reviews.

#6 An emotional speech at a retirement party
💭

Building this company from nothing has been his life's major achievement.

بناء هذه الشركة من لا شيء كان الإنجاز الكبير في حياته.

Reflects on a lifetime of effort.

Teste-toi

Choose the best word to complete the phrase.

Buying your first home is a ___ achievement for anyone.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : major

Buying a home is a life-changing event, so 'major' is the most appropriate adjective.

Identify the correct context for the phrase.

Which of these is a 'major achievement'?

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : Winning a Nobel Prize

A major achievement requires significant effort and recognition, like a Nobel Prize.

🎉 Score : /2

Aides visuelles

Formality of 'Major Achievement'

Informal

Used with sarcasm or close friends.

I washed the dishes! Major achievement!

Neutral

Standard conversation about goals.

Learning a new language is a major achievement.

Formal

Business reports and speeches.

The merger represents a major achievement for the firm.

When to say 'Major Achievement'

Major Achievement
🎓

Graduation

Getting your PhD.

💼

Career

Landing a dream job.

🌱

Personal Growth

Overcoming a fear.

🏆

Sports

Winning a championship.

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

It refers to a significant success that required a lot of effort or skill. For example, Graduating from medical school is a major achievement.

They are similar, but major achievement sounds more formal and emphasizes the work put into it. Success can sometimes be lucky, but an achievement is earned.

Absolutely! If you finally finished a 5,000-piece puzzle, you can say, This is a major achievement for me.

Not at all. It’s a great way to show you are proud of them. Just say, That's a major achievement, congrats!

You could say a minor setback or a small task. There isn't one exact opposite phrase, but minor is the usual antonym for major.

Yes, it is perfect for resumes. You can list a section called Major Achievements to highlight your best work.

Focus on the 'j' sound in major (MAY-jer) and the 'ch' in achievement (uh-CHEEV-ment).

Yes, great achievement is a very common synonym. Major feels slightly more objective and data-driven.

Yes, you can say, The team's success was a major achievement for the whole company.

Don't say make a major achievement. Use the verb attain or is. For example: It was a major achievement.

Expressions liées

milestone

An important stage in a process or journey.

accomplishment

Something that has been achieved successfully.

breakthrough

A sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or development.

feather in one's cap

An achievement to be proud of (idiomatic).

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