Target

/ˈtɑː.ɡɪt/ · noun

Meaning

A butt or mark to shoot at, as for practice, or to test the accuracy of a firearm, or the force of a projectile..

Definitions by Sense

1. A butt or mark to shoot at, as for practice, or to test the accuracy of a firearm, or the force of a projectile.
2. A goal or objective.
3. An object of criticism or ridicule.
4. A person, place, or thing that is frequently attacked, criticized, or ridiculed.
5. A kind of shield:
6. (sports) The pattern or arrangement of a series of hits made by a marksman on a butt or mark.
7. (surveying) The sliding crosspiece, or vane, on a leveling staff.
8. (rail transport) A conspicuous disk attached to a switch lever to show its position, or for use as a signal.

Example Sentences

Take careful aim at the target.

They have a target to finish the project by November.

Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers.[…]Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster. Clever financial ploys are what have made billionaires of the industry’s veterans. “Operational improvement” in a portfolio company has often meant little more than promising colossal bonuses to sitting chief executives if they meet ambitious growth targets. That model is still prevalent today.

He made a good target.

Coordinate term: source

Do you charge by source or target?

Gary Cahill, a target for Arsenal and Tottenham before the transfer window closed, put England ahead early on and Rooney was on target twice before the interval as the early hostility of the Bulgarian supporters was swiftly subdued.

The advertising campaign targeted older women.

Synonyms for target

Antonyms for target

Related Words

Word Forms

• targets
• targeting
• targetting
• targeted
• targetted

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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