direct object

noun

Definition of direct object

: a word or phrase denoting the receiver of the action of a verb

Examples of direct object in a Sentence

“Me” in “He likes me” is a direct object. In the sentence “They built a house for her,” the direct object is “house” and the indirect object is “her.”

Recent Examples on the Web

Who is used for subjects, whom for objects, including direct objects such as that of the verb to fire. — The Economist, "JohnsonIn the court of common usage, an old pronoun is losing its case," 1 Mar. 2018 In Steve kicked John, Steve is the subject and John is the direct object. — The Economist, "The weasel voice in journalism," 24 May 2018 Both distinguish between an animate direct object and an inanimate one. — The Economist, "JohnsonThe painful origins of many creole languages," 1 Feb. 2018 Four different cases in Old English tell you whether a word is a subject, direct object, indirect object or possessor. — The Economist, "JohnsonIn the court of common usage, an old pronoun is losing its case," 1 Mar. 2018 The serving president, Lyndon Johnson, was a direct object of Smith’s and Carlos’s criticism. — James Fallows, The Atlantic, "Trump's Shocking Recklessness," 24 Sep. 2017 But putting a comma between a verb and its direct object is not a common mistake. — The Economist, "The power of the comma," 21 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'direct object.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.