Entry Word: target

Function: noun

Meaning: 1 a person or thing that is the object of abuse, criticism, or ridicule <Cinderella became the target of her stepsistersʼ envy>

Synonyms butt, mark, sitting duck, victim

Related Words laughingstock, mockery; fall guy, goat, scapegoat, whipping boy

Near Antonyms gossip, gossiper, talebearer, tattler, tattletale, troublemaker; defamer, libeler (or libeller), traducer; baiter, heckler, needler, ribber, taunter, teaser, tormentor; derider, insulter, mocker, ridiculer, scoffer, scorner; caricaturist, lampooner, parodist, satirist

2 a person or thing that is made fun of <after my botched haircut, I became the target of lots of jokes at school> — see laughingstock
3 something that one hopes or intends to accomplish <our target is to raise $100,000 for a new playground by August> — see goal