object

verb

ob·​ject əb-ˈjekt 

objected; objecting; objects

transitive verb

: to put forth in opposition or as an objection

objected that the statement was misleading

intransitive verb

1

: to oppose something firmly and usually with words or arguments

No one objected to the change in plans.

I object, your honor. The question is misleading.

2

: to feel distaste for something

Anyone would object to doing something that underhanded.

objector

əb-ˈjek-tər 

noun

Synonyms of object

• protest
• complain
• take exception
• take issue
• expostulate
• except
• demur
• kick

Examples of object in a Sentence

No one objected when the paintings were removed.

“We can't buy the chair,” he objected. “It won't fit in the car.”

Recent Examples on the Web

Some will object, but no one will laugh. —Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 29 May 2026

The rules are so one-sided that a group of America’s largest pension funds, including CalPERS, and those headed by the Controllers of both New York State and City, filed a lengthy letter objecting to half-a-dozen of the provisions. —Shawn Tully, Fortune, 29 May 2026

Both Regan and Koltun have objected to the subpoenas for their clients’ information, and have moved to unseal the cases, which are pending before US District Chief Judge James Boasberg. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 28 May 2026

The work spans several areas of robotics, including multi-arm coordination, humanoid navigation, object manipulation, and vision-language-action models that allow robots to reason through tasks before acting. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English objecten, in part borrowed from Latin objectus, past participle of obicere, objicere "to throw in the way, put forward, cite as a ground for disapproval or criticism," in part borrowed from Latin objectāre "to throw before, put in the way, cite as a ground for disapproval," frequentative of obicere — more at object entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing object

• celestial object
• direct object
• found object
• inanimate object
• indirect object
• money is no object
• no object
• object ball
• object code
• object language
• object lesson
• object of desire
• object of envy
• object-oriented
• object-oriented programming
• quasi-stellar object
• retained object
• sex object
• subject/object of ridicule
• unidentified flying object

Kids Definition

object

1 of 2 noun

ob·​ject ˈäb-jikt 

1

: something that can be perceived by the senses

I see an object in the distance

2

: something that is the target of thought or feeling

an object of study

the object of my affections

3

: the goal or purpose of some activity

the object is to raise money

4

: a noun or term behaving like a noun that receives the action of a verb or completes the meaning of a preposition

5

: something (as an icon or window) on a computer screen that can be moved or used by itself

objectless

ˈäb-jik-tləs 

adjective

object

2 of 2 verb

ob·​ject əb-ˈjekt 

1

: to offer or mention as an objection

objected that the price was too high

2

: to oppose something firmly usually with words

objected to the plan

objector

-ˈjek-tər 

noun

Medical Definition

object

noun

ob·​ject ˈäb-(ˌ)jekt, -jikt 

1

: something material that may be perceived by the senses

2

: something mental or physical toward which thought, feeling, or action is directed

Legal Definition

object

1 of 2 noun

ob·​ject ˈäb-jikt 

1

: something toward which thought, feeling, or action is directed see also natural object

2

: the purpose or goal of something

especially, in the civil law of Louisiana : the purpose for which a contract or obligation is formed

object

2 of 2 transitive verb

ob·​ject əb-ˈjekt 

: to state in opposition or as an objection

objected that the evidence was inadmissible

intransitive verb

: to state opposition especially to something in a judicial proceeding

objected to the testimony on the ground that it was hearsay