Accomplished means highly skilled or proficient, having achieved a notable level of success or competence. It often describes people, performances, or works that show refined ability, experience, and tasteful execution. The term implies both mastery and a track record of achievement, typically supported by demonstrations or accolades.
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"She is an accomplished pianist who has performed worldwide."
"The event featured an accomplished panel of researchers."
"Her accomplished prose reveals a deep understanding of the subject."
"They spoke with an accomplished ease that comes from years of practice."
Accomplished comes from the Old French acomplir, from a compire ‘to complete, carry out,’ itself from Latin complĕre ‘to fill up, complete.’ The prefix a- intensifies, leading to the sense of having completed tasks or duties. By Middle English, accomplished began to describe people who had completed training or acquired mastery, and later broadened to mean well-developed or fully realized. The word carried social value: marked capability, refinement, and the successful fulfillment of potential. First recorded senses appeared in the 14th–15th centuries, aligning with medieval notions of chivalric achievement and courtly accomplishment, then expanding to general attainment in skills, arts, and education through the 16th–19th centuries. Over time, the word accrued collocations such as “accomplished musician,” “accomplished writer,” or “accomplished performance,” reinforcing an aura of polish, experience, and refined competence.
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Words that rhyme with "accomplished"
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Pronounce as /əˈkɑm.plɪʃt/ in US English, with primary stress on the second syllable. Start with a schwa, then a clear /k/ followed by /ɒ/ (British) or /ɑ/ (American) in the second syllable, and finish with /plɪʃt/. In Australian English, you’ll hear /əˈkɒm.plɪʃt/ or /əˈkɑːm.plɪʃt/ depending on region. Ensure the -plish-t cluster is crisp: /plɪʃt/. Audio reference: listen for the stress shift and the final /t/ release.
Common errors include misplacing stress (saying ac-COM-plished), mispronouncing the medial vowel (confusing /ɒ/ with /ɑ/ or losing the /ɪ/ sound), and softening the final /t/ or making it a flap. Correction: emphasize the second syllable with /ˈkɒm/ or /ˈkɑm/ depending on accent, keep the /ɪ/ in the third syllable, and clearly articulate the final /t/ as /t/ or a lightly released /t/ in rapid speech.
In US English, stress remains on the second syllable: /əˈkɑm.plɪʃt/. The /ɒ/ in the second syllable is often more open post-vocalic than in British. UK speakers may use /əˈkɒm.plɪʃt/ with a more rounded /ɒ/. Australian tends to align with British vowels but can be less rhotic and may show slight vowel length differences: /əˈkɒm.plɪʃt/ or /əˈkɑːm.plɪʃt/. Across all, the final /t/ is crisp; some rapid speech variants may reduce to /t/ or even a glottal stop in fast phrases.
The challenge lies in the consonant cluster -pl- immediately after a stressed syllable and the final /t/. The 'pl' blends require precise timing: the /p/ release must precede the /l/ with a short vowel in the middle. Also, the vowel in the second syllable shifts slightly in varied accents, and the ending /t/ can be unreleased in casual speech. Mastery requires careful articulation of the /k/ and /l/ sequence and a clear final /t/ even when speed increases.
A distinctive feature is the tense, clipped final /t/ following /ʃ/ in /-ʃt/, which some learners merge into /-t/ or /-tʃ/. Correct pronunciation maintains a crisp /ʃt/ sequence: /ɪʃt/. Also, the primary stress falls on the second syllable, so even in connected speech you should preserve the syllable boundary: a-COM-pli-shed.
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