objective

1 of 2

adjective

ob·​jec·​tive əb-ˈjek-tiv 

äb-

1

a

: expressing or dealing with facts or conditions as perceived without distortion by personal feelings, prejudices, or interpretations

an objective observer

an objective analysis

an objective measure of performance

It's hard to be objective about my own family.

an objective judgment

Any objective viewer of the film can see that it isn't meant to be fair.

—Charles Wohlforth

b

of a test : limited to choices of fixed alternatives and reducing subjective factors to a minimum

Each question on the objective test requires the selection of the correct answer from among several choices.

2

a

philosophy : existing outside of the mind : existing in the real world

objective reality

… our reveries … are significantly and repeatedly shaped by our transactions with the objective world.

—Marvin Reznikoff

compare subjective sense 3a

b

: involving or deriving from sense perception or experience with actual objects, conditions, or phenomena

objective awareness

objective data

c

of a symptom of disease : perceptible to persons other than the affected individual

objective signs of inflammation

compare subjective sense 4c

d

: relating to or existing as an object of thought without consideration of independent existence

—used chiefly in medieval philosophy

3

: relating to, characteristic of, or constituting the case of words that follow prepositions or transitive verbs

The pronoun her is in the objective case in the sentence "I saw her."

objectiveness noun

objective

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: something toward which effort is directed : an aim, goal, or purpose

They're expanding the business with the objective of improving efficiency.

The distance, goal, target and objective change in each of the eight rounds that are played.

—Ben Schultz

b

: a strategic position to be attained or a purpose to be achieved by a military operation

2

: a lens or system of lenses that forms an image of an object

Synonyms of objective

Adjective

• empirical
• observational

Noun

• purpose
• goal
• aim
• plan
• intention
• intent
• idea
• object
• thing

Choose the Right Synonym for objective

Adjective

material, physical, corporeal, phenomenal, sensible, objective mean of or belonging to actuality.

material implies formation out of tangible matter; used in contrast with spiritual or ideal it may connote the mundane, crass, or grasping.

material values

physical applies to what is perceived directly by the senses and may contrast with mental, spiritual, or imaginary.

the physical benefits of exercise

corporeal implies having the tangible qualities of a body such as shape, size, or resistance to force.

artists have portrayed angels as corporeal beings

phenomenal applies to what is known or perceived through the senses rather than by intuition or rational deduction.

scientists concerned with the phenomenal world

sensible stresses the capability of readily or forcibly impressing the senses.

the earth's rotation is not sensible to us

objective may stress material or independent existence apart from a subject perceiving it.

no objective evidence of damage

fair, just, equitable, impartial, unbiased, dispassionate, objective mean free from favor toward either or any side.

fair implies a proper balance of conflicting interests.

a fair decision

just implies an exact following of a standard of what is right and proper.

a just settlement of territorial claims

equitable implies a less rigorous standard than just and usually suggests equal treatment of all concerned.

the equitable distribution of the property

impartial stresses an absence of favor or prejudice.

an impartial third party

unbiased implies even more strongly an absence of all prejudice.

your unbiased opinion

dispassionate suggests freedom from the influence of strong feeling and often implies cool or even cold judgment.

a dispassionate summation of the facts

objective stresses a tendency to view events or persons as apart from oneself and one's own interest or feelings.

I can't be objective about my own child

Noun

intention, intent, purpose, design, aim, end, object, objective, goal mean what one intends to accomplish or attain.

intention implies little more than what one has in mind to do or bring about.

announced his intention to marry

intent suggests clearer formulation or greater deliberateness.

the clear intent of the statute

purpose suggests a more settled determination.

being successful was her purpose in life

design implies a more carefully calculated plan.

the order of events came by accident, not design

aim adds to these implications of effort directed toward attaining or accomplishing.

her aim was to raise film to an art form

end stresses the intended effect of action often in distinction or contrast to the action or means as such.

willing to use any means to achieve his end

object may equal end but more often applies to a more individually determined wish or need.

his constant object was the achievement of pleasure

objective implies something tangible and immediately attainable.

their objective is to seize the oil fields

goal suggests something attained only by prolonged effort and hardship.

worked years to reach her goals

Examples of objective in a Sentence

Adjective

For no matter how objective Server tries to appear in detailing the highs and lows of her 67 years—the three marriages, the numerous affairs, the binges, the nightlong cruising of low-life byways and bordellos, the mainly poor movies she was in—he cannot really hide his essential fondness for her. —Peter Bogdanovich, New York Times Book Review, 23 Apr. 2006

I'm not going to read the history about it while I'm alive because I don't trust short-term history. Most historians wouldn't have voted for me, so I don't think they can write an objective history. —George W. Bush, quoted in Time, 6 Sept. 2004

"I'm not really a Hollywood person," said Mr. [Clint] Eastwood, who lives mostly in Carmel. "Not that I don't like L.A., but I'm just a Northern California guy. And it's very hard to be objective about what you're doing in a town that's all consumed by the entertainment business." —Bernard Weinraub, New York Times, 6 Aug. 1992

We need someone outside the company to give us an objective analysis.

an objective assessment based solely upon the results of the experiment

Noun

The first objective of the low-intensity war was to "bleed" India so that it would cut its losses and quit. —Pervez Hoodbhoy, Prospect, June 2003

The Orange Plan assumed an early Japanese capture of the Philippines, and made relief of the Philippines the main U.S. objective. —David M. Kennedy, Atlantic, March 1999

The President had largely stuck to his publicly stated goals—though the objective of smashing Iraq's military machine hadn't been so clear. —Elizabeth Drew, New Yorker, 6 May 1991

… their primary objective is not the enrollment of new voters but changing the party affiliation of old voters … —Lawrence King, Commonweal, 9 Oct. 1970

The main objective of the class is to teach basic typing skills.

She's expanding the business with the objective of improving efficiency.

We've set specific objectives for each day.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

According to a staff report, the project complies with Antioch’s General Plan as well as zoning and objective standards. —Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025

The evidence of decline is seen in objective behavior, not just self-reporting. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025

Noun

Beijing’s activities in space are very active and their objectives are more opaque, according to Swope, the CSIS analyst. —Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025

Among Silvercorp’s objectives was the extradition of Maduro to face justice in the United States. —Kevin G. Hall, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Medieval Latin objectīvus "considered in relation to its purpose, relating to an object of thought," from objectum "something presented to the mind, goal, aim" + Latin -īvus -ive — more at object entry 1

Noun

in sense 1 probably short for objective point "goal of a military operation"; in sense 2 noun derivative of objective, adjective, "nearest the object (of the parts of a lens in a telescope, microscope, etc.)," probably borrowed from French (in verre objectif "lens nearest the object") — more at objective entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1645, in the meaning defined at sense 2d

Noun

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing objective

• objective complement
• objective correlative
• objective lens

Rhymes for objective

• advective
• affective
• collective
• connective
• convective
• corrective
• defective
• detective
• directive
• effective
• elective
• infective

Kids Definition

objective

1 of 2 adjective

ob·​jec·​tive əb-ˈjek-tiv 

1

: being outside of the mind and independent of it

objective reality

2

: being or belonging to the case of a noun or pronoun that is an object of a transitive verb or a preposition

3

: dealing with facts without letting one's feelings interfere with them

an objective judgment

objectively adverb

objectivity

(ˌ)äb-ˌjek-ˈtiv-ət-ē 

əb-

noun

objective

2 of 2 noun

1

: a lens or system of lenses (as in a microscope) that forms an image of an object

2

: a goal or end of action

Medical Definition

objective

1 of 2 adjective

ob·​jec·​tive əb-ˈjek-tiv, äb- 

1

: of, relating to, or being an object, phenomenon, or condition in the realm of sensible experience independent of individual thought and perceptible by all observers

objective reality

2

: perceptible to persons other than the affected individual

an objective symptom of disease

compare subjective sense 2b

objectively adverb

objective

2 of 2 noun

1

: a lens or system of lenses that forms an image of an object

2

: something toward which effort is directed