take aim at

idiomatic phrase

: to have (something or someone) as a target
new legislation that takes aim at crime
… reformers are trying to recharge an apathetic electorate by taking aim at the very process of voting itself.Wilma Rule et al.
… ski marketers are now taking aim at older skiers, women, boomers with young families, and their kids.Jon Bowermaster
Whereas most previous HIV drugs block enzymes the virus used to copy itself, the new ones take aim at different stages in the virus's life cycle …Susan Karlin

Examples of take aim at in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Both shows rely on a panel of comedians to take aim at the news, though @Midnight, with its focus on viral clips and memes, may be a bit more evergreen. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 May 2023 Then, in September 2021, Drake released Certified Lover Boy and fans were quick to dissect the lyrics, many of which appeared to take aim at West. Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2023 The bill appears to take aim at the high standard that the Supreme Court established nearly 60 years ago for defamation cases. Lori Rozsa, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2023 Senate Bill 6 is one of nine bills the Senate unveiled earlier this month as a suite of fossil fuel-centric bills that take aim at Texas’ booming renewable energy sector under promises of greater grid stability. Philip Jankowski, Dallas News, 22 Mar. 2023 Some, like Acumen’s early-phase drug, are antibodies that take aim at amyloid. Ryan Cross, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Feb. 2023 After taking home the 2022 Heisman Trophy, Southern California's Caleb Williams will take aim at college football history as the latest to challenge former Ohio State running back Archie Griffin's status as the only two-time winner in the award's history. Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2022 On Friday, Fetterman continued to take aim at Oz, calling him a New Jersey resident. Sarah Ewall-Wice, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2022 The revival's reviews are damning, and most of them take aim at Feldstein's vocal abilities. Scottie Andrew, CNN, 18 July 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take aim at.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of take aim at was in 1545

Dictionary Entries Near take aim at

Cite this Entry

“Take aim at.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20aim%20at. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!