SINCE 1828
tar·get
| \ ˈtär-gət
\
\
Definition of target
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: a mark to shoot at
b
: a target marked by shots fired at it
c
: something or someone fired at or marked for attack
d
: a goal to be achieved
2a
: an object of ridicule or criticism
b
: something or someone to be affected by an action or development
c
US law
: a person against whom a federal prosecutor has substantial evidence of involvement in criminal activity and who the prosecutor believes is likely to be indicted by a grand jury
The full extent of Iacobelli's ongoing cooperation is sealed in federal court, but prosecutors have identified additional targets and Iacobelli could spend less time in prison if his help proves substantial.— Robert Snell
3a
: the metallic surface (as of platinum or tungsten) upon which the stream of electrons within an X-ray tube is focused and from which the X-rays are emitted
b
: a body, surface, or material bombarded with nuclear particles or electrons
especially
: fluorescent material on which desired visual effects are produced in electronic devices (as in radar)
4
: a small round shield
off target
on target
: not valid : inaccurate
: precisely correct or valid especially in interpreting or addressing a problem or vital issue
target
verb
targeted;
targeting;
targets
Definition of target (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to make a target of
targeted her for promotion
especially
: to set as a goal
2
: to direct or use toward a target
Keep scrolling for more
Synonyms for target
Synonyms: Noun
butt, mark, prey, sitting duck, victim
Visit the Thesaurus for More
Examples of target in a Sentence
Noun
Our target amount for the fund-raiser is $2,500. They set a target date of May 31. Planes struck at key military targets. Tourists are often easy targets for thieves.Verb
drugs that target cancer cells
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
This method was perfected by the legendary entertainment lawyer Bert Fields, who represented such targets as Michael Jackson (during his trial for child molestation) and perpetual innuendo magnet Tom Cruise. — Ben Widdicombe, Town & Country, "How Much Does It Cost to Keep Your Name Out of the News?," 18 Jan. 2019 In 2007, the US set progressively more ambitious biofuel targets in for oil refiners out to 2022. — Megan Geuss, Ars Technica, "EPA reconsidering biofuel targets after production goals are missed," 25 Nov. 2018 Israel retaliated, striking Hamas targets in Gaza, including a weapons storage site, a headquarters for military intelligence, and even a television station. — Alex Ward, Vox, "Israel and Gaza just saw their worst violence in years. It could get worse.," 14 Nov. 2018 Additionally, exomoons could be interesting for another reason: the moons of our Solar System have recently become tantalizing targets in the search for life off of Earth. — Loren Grush, The Verge, "Astronomers may have discovered the first moon ever found outside our Solar System," 3 Oct. 2018 Massachusetts General Hospital researchers helped the company find patients with a specific gene mutation thought to be a good target for the drug. — Jared S. Hopkins, WSJ, "Pfizer Pivots to Cancer Drugs for Growth," 27 Jan. 2019 Freight has been a prominent target of autonomous vehicle research, although in the US most of the hype surrounds freight trucks, which could be run in platoon formation to cut down on highway traffic. — Megan Geuss, Ars Technica, "Mining co. says first autonomous freight train network fully operational," 30 Dec. 2018 More broadly, the Saudi- led war in Yemen, which the US supports militarily, will continue to be an easy bipartisan target for resistance in 2019. — Jen Kirby, Vox, "The 7 biggest foreign news stories to watch in 2019, from Brexit to North Korea," 24 Dec. 2018 Elon Musk has said that 2020 is a likely target for production, but hasn’t announced if that will happen at the Gigafactory in Nevada, or at the Gigafactory that Tesla is just breaking ground on outside Shanghai for building the Model 3. — Sean O'kane, The Verge, "Tesla’s competition for the Model Y is growing quickly in China," 21 Dec. 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Your doctor may also recommend radiation therapy to target particular areas of your body or chemotherapy, the Mayo Clinic says. — Korin Miller, SELF, "Former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres Has Melanoma That Spread From a Spot She 'Never Paid Attention To'," 6 Feb. 2019 Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle famously don't have their own social media accounts—but sadly, that hasn't stopped online trolls from targeting them. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle Have Been Subjected to Horrifying Online Abuse," 28 Jan. 2019 The vast majority of U.S. nuclear warheads are stationed in the continental U.S. and are capable of targeting North Korea. — Jonathan Cheng, WSJ, "The U.S. May Have to Rethink Its Approach to North Korea," 22 Jan. 2019 Camille François explained to Ars in a phone view that Facebook had only provided English-language data for the accounts identified as IRA-operated, and no data that didn't relate specifically to targeting US politics. — Sean Gallagher, Ars Technica, "Massive scale of Russian election trolling revealed in draft Senate report," 17 Dec. 2018 Now, the Mirror reports, David and Victoria's home has been targeted a second time by burglars. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "David and Victoria Beckham's £6 Million Cotswolds Home Was Targeted by Burglars Twice in a Single Month," 25 Nov. 2018 In particular, the president’s stances on immigration — specifically his family separation policy — have long been about targeting Latinx people. — Christianna Silva, Teen Vogue, "Trump's Racist Campaign Ad Shouldn't Shock Anyone," 1 Nov. 2018 The type of applications Qualcomm is targeting include wireless VR and ultra high-definition video streaming. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Qualcomm begins shipping 802.11ay silicon for mobile devices and applications, including VR and UHD video," 17 Oct. 2018 The upper abs and obliques tend to get all the love from many popular exercises, while the lower abs are notoriously harder to target. — SELF, "28 Lower Abs Exercises That Will Set Your Core on Fire," 1 Jan. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'target.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for target
target
noun
English Language Learners Definition of target
(Entry 1 of 2)
: something that you are trying to do or achieve
: a place, thing, or person at which an attack is aimed
: the person or group that someone is trying to influence, sell something to, etc.
target
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of target (Entry 2 of 2)
: to aim an attack at someone or something
: to direct an action, message, etc., at someone or something
See the full definition for target in the English Language Learners Dictionary
target
noun
tar·get
| \ ˈtär-gət
\
\
Kids Definition of target
1
: a mark or object to shoot at or attack
2
: a person or thing that is talked about, criticized, or laughed at
3
: a goal to be reached
Her target is to lose ten pounds by summer.
target
noun
tar·get
| \ ˈtär-gət
\
\
Medical Definition of target
1
: something to be affected by an action or development
specifically
: an organ, part, or tissue that is affected by the action of a hormone
2a
: the metallic surface usually of platinum or tungsten upon which the stream of electrons within an X-ray tube is focused and from which the X-rays are emitted
b
: a body, surface, or material bombarded with nuclear particles or electrons
3
: the thought or object that is to be recognized (as by telepathy) or affected (as by psychokinesis) in a parapsychological experiment
Keep scrolling for more
target
noun
tar·get
Legal Definition of target
: the object to be affected or achieved by an action or development
specifically
: a company that is the object of a takeover
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on target
What made you want to look up target? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
What did you just call me?! A Quiz
-
- If a member of the audience describes your speech as bombastic, does that person mean it is:
Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Share target
Resources for target