target
Americannoun
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an object, usually marked with concentric circles, to be aimed at in shooting practice or contests.
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any object used for this purpose.
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anything fired at.
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a goal to be reached.
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an object of abuse, scorn, derision, etc.; butt.
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Fencing. the portion of a fencer's body where a touch can be scored.
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a disk-shaped signal, as at a railroad switch, indicating the position of a switch.
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Surveying.
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the sliding sight on a leveling rod.
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any marker on which sights are taken.
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a small shield, usually round, carried by a foot soldier; buckler.
adjective
verb (used with object)
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to use, set up, or designate as a target or goal.
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to direct toward a target.
The new warheads can be targeted with great precision.
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to make a target of (an object, person, city, etc.) for attack or bombardment.
verb phrase
idioms
noun
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an object or area at which an archer or marksman aims, usually a round flat surface marked with concentric rings
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( as modifier )
target practice
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any point or area aimed at; the object of an attack or a takeover bid
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( as modifier )
target area
target company
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a fixed goal or objective
the target for the appeal is £10 000
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a person or thing at which an action or remark is directed or the object of a person's feelings
a target for the teacher's sarcasm
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a joint of lamb consisting of the breast and neck
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surveying a marker on which sights are taken, such as the sliding marker on a levelling staff
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(formerly) a small round shield
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physics electronics
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a substance, object, or system subjected to bombardment by electrons or other particles, or to irradiation
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an electrode in a television camera tube whose surface, on which image information is stored, is scanned by the electron beam
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electronics an object to be detected by the reflection of a radar or sonar signal, etc
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on the correct course to meet a target or objective
verb
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to make a target of
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to direct or aim
to target benefits at those most in need
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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targetsimple
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targetssimple
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have targetedperfect
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has targetedperfect
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am targetingprogressive
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are targetingprogressive
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is targetingprogressive
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have been targetingperfect progressive
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has been targetingperfect progressive
Past
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targetedsimple
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had targetedperfect
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was targetingprogressive
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were targetingprogressive
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had been targetingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of target
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English noun, from Middle French targuete, variant of targete “small shield” see targe, -et
Explanation
A target is something to shoot at, either real or figurative. If you're an archer, you're aiming for the bull's-eye on the target. If you're selling cars for a living, then you likely have a sales target you need to hit. You can hit a target, which is usually a good thing, or, less happily, you can be a target, such as a target of ridicule when you wear that goofy Swiss cheese hat and you aren't even from Wisconsin. As a marketing ploy, you could target Green Bay Packer season ticket holders when you decide to unload that hat. You might find a buyer among them, someone who wouldn't worry about being a target for those who object to silly hats.
Vocabulary lists containing target
Excerpt from "Night"
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Loaded Words from the Gun Violence Debate
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 10
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
That organic growth, a metric closely watched by analysts, outpaced the company’s 5% target.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
"I am fully committed to reaching our inflation target, and this commitment is unwavering," she added.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
He is accused of planning to target the two places of worship in Sutton.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
"We think this could open the door for future therapies such as a protein target for neurodegenerative disease treatment," Fei said.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026
They thought nearby Baltimore, with its fortified harbor and busy port, was the more likely target.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
In addition, the company targets mainly local consumers rather than tourists, which has helped it avoid some of the challenges faced by the luxury industry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
A years-long crisis in the property sector and a persistent slump in domestic spending have left leaders reliant on exports to meet growth targets.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
Central Command said, noting that it hit “dozens of military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian coastal areas.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
The suspension will apply to most circumstances except cases involving serious criminal targets, according to US media reports citing unnamed law enforcement sources.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Over the breadth of an ocean the smallest miscalculations would become magnified so that ships often missed Bermuda-sized targets by dismaying margins.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
Spain targeted this weakness by committing full-backs to attack.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
But in Kuwait, repeatedly targeted throughout the war, people were anxious.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
Lopez, the city manager, said the four targeted officials are still fulfilling their duties, despite the verbal attacks from Facebook and elsewhere.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Counter-terrorism police have said the former Conservative MP was killed in a "targeted attack".
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
They daren’t confide in each other, not knowing whom to trust; they are scared to speak out, in case their suspicions are true and their families are targeted.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
Wedbush analyst Alicia Reese said in a research note this week that, despite some concerns of an advertiser pullback, Netflix’s ad business was getting better at targeting viewers more precisely.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
Watch out, In-N-Out; another chain is targeting California consumers with its big burgers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
U.S. officials said the attacks both punish Tehran for targeting ships in the strait and pressure the regime back to the negotiating table.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
The EU could limit access to social media based on a platform's risks, targeting apps with "harmful designs".
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
Sparks flowed from the slim elfin fingers, intuitively targeting bruises, breaks, or ruptures.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
