soft target
noun
: a target that can be attacked easily because it does not have military defenses
hospitals, schools, and other soft targets
—often used figurativelyelderly people who are a soft target for criminals
Examples of soft target in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Missile expert Fabian Hoffman says that for a soft target such as distillation columns of Russian refineries, for example, the Flamingo’s lethal radius would be upwards of 38 meters.
—
Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2025
The criminals are watching and waiting for the next soft target.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Michael Alcazar, a former hostage negotiator with the New York Police Department who also teaches at John Jay, said Pearl Street is a soft target for a terrorist attack.
—Deon J. Hampton, NBC news, 3 June 2025
But then that peripheral shooter will get lucky, evade three hits in a row, and suddenly the boss, perhaps sensing a soft target, is at that fighter's back.
—Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 5 Mar. 2025
The April 21 start of the offseason program is a soft target, but May 5 looms larger once coaches are allowed to work with Purdy and players on the field.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2025
What’s troubling is that strategy wasn’t good enough against a soft target and one that could have fueled a midseason run.
—Jay Paris, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
The sundown start of the Yom Kippur holiday on Sept. 24 became a soft target set as an unofficial deadline to reach a deal or, once again, retreat.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 27 Sep. 2023
Possible attacks include using autonomous drone swarms against a soft target like a stadium full of people or dispersing drones bearing biological or chemical agents over a large area.
—IEEE Spectrum, 24 May 2021
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Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2025
The criminals are watching and waiting for the next soft target.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Michael Alcazar, a former hostage negotiator with the New York Police Department who also teaches at John Jay, said Pearl Street is a soft target for a terrorist attack.
—Deon J. Hampton, NBC news, 3 June 2025
But then that peripheral shooter will get lucky, evade three hits in a row, and suddenly the boss, perhaps sensing a soft target, is at that fighter's back.
—Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 5 Mar. 2025
The April 21 start of the offseason program is a soft target, but May 5 looms larger once coaches are allowed to work with Purdy and players on the field.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2025
What’s troubling is that strategy wasn’t good enough against a soft target and one that could have fueled a midseason run.
—Jay Paris, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
The sundown start of the Yom Kippur holiday on Sept. 24 became a soft target set as an unofficial deadline to reach a deal or, once again, retreat.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 27 Sep. 2023
Possible attacks include using autonomous drone swarms against a soft target like a stadium full of people or dispersing drones bearing biological or chemical agents over a large area.
—IEEE Spectrum, 24 May 2021
Cite this Entry
“Soft target.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soft%20target. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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