Definition of direct object
: a word or phrase denoting the receiver of the action of a verb
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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 of direct object from the Web
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Who is used for subjects, whom for objects, including direct objects such as that of the verb to fire.
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In Steve kicked John, Steve is the subject and John is the direct object.
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Both distinguish between an animate direct object and an inanimate one.
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Four different cases in Old English tell you whether a word is a subject, direct object, indirect object or possessor.
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The serving president, Lyndon Johnson, was a direct object of Smith’s and Carlos’s criticism.
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But putting a comma between a verb and its direct object is not a common mistake.
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.
First Known Use of direct object
1879
DIRECT OBJECT Defined for English Language Learners
direct object
Definition of direct object for English Language Learners
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grammar : a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase which indicates the person or thing that receives the action of a verb
DIRECT OBJECT Defined for Kids
direct object
Definition of direct object for Students
: a word that represents the main goal or the result of the action of a verb
- The word “me” in “you hit me” is a direct object.
Seen and Heard
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