“Managed to” means to succeed in doing something, usually with some difficulty or effort. Here are some synonyms and an analysis of them:
- Succeeded in
- “Succeeded in” has a very similar meaning to “managed to.” For example, “He managed to climb the mountain” and “He succeeded in climbing the mountain” are almost identical. The focus is on the achievement of a particular goal. The difference is that “succeeded in” might sound a bit more formal. It emphasizes the positive outcome of an attempt. For instance, in a business context, “The company succeeded in increasing its profits this year” sounds more professional than “The company managed to increase its profits this year.”
- Was able to
- “Was able to” implies having the ability or capacity to do something. When we say “He managed to fix the car” we can also say “He was able to fix the car.” However, “was able to” doesn't always convey the same sense of struggle or difficulty as “managed to.” For example, “I was able to read the book quickly” might just mean you had the skill or time to do it, while “I managed to read the book quickly” could imply that you overcame some obstacles like distractions or a tight schedule to do so.
- Contrived to
- “Contrived to” means to bring about or achieve something through a clever or sometimes devious means. It's a bit more complex than “managed to.” For example, “She contrived to get an invitation to the exclusive party” implies that she used some sort of strategy or artifice to obtain the invitation. In contrast, “managed to” might imply more of a general effort. So, “She managed to get an invitation to the exclusive party” could simply mean she tried hard and was successful, without the connotation of a clever scheme.
- Accomplished
- “Accomplished” is a more formal synonym. For example, “He managed to finish the project on time” can be replaced with “He accomplished finishing the project on time.” It emphasizes the completion of a task or goal and often has a sense of finality and achievement. It's more commonly used in written language or in a professional setting, such as in reports or academic writing. For example, “The team accomplished a significant breakthrough in their research.”