as in objectives
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
leaving the world a better place than I found it is one of my main goals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of goals
Capricorn December 22 – January 19 By afternoon, your focus sharpens on goals.
—
Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
December 22 – January 19 By afternoon, your focus sharpens on goals.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
By the first week of December, Olsson boasted seven goals in five matches, becoming the first player in WSL history to score four goals in her first five starts.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
In addition to Slattery, Mardie Frye, Charlie Watson and Jayde Hudson scored goals in the shootout for Centennial.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
One of his goals this year will be to continue to build upon that number.
—Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Consumer Reports’ own nutrition experts say most adults can hit their daily protein goals through regular food alone.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
His messaging has been inconsistent; his goals shift nearly every day.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
December 22 – January 19 By afternoon, your focus sharpens on goals.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
By the first week of December, Olsson boasted seven goals in five matches, becoming the first player in WSL history to score four goals in her first five starts.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
In addition to Slattery, Mardie Frye, Charlie Watson and Jayde Hudson scored goals in the shootout for Centennial.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
One of his goals this year will be to continue to build upon that number.
—Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Consumer Reports’ own nutrition experts say most adults can hit their daily protein goals through regular food alone.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2026
His messaging has been inconsistent; his goals shift nearly every day.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goals
Noun
-
With strategic objectives so different, and with two different wars being fought simultaneously, a win-win outcome is not in the cards.—
Daniel Kurtzer,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
But this- the idea that the administration and our armed forces are not meeting their objectives, or that there wasn’t a plan, is absurd.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
What's new is using criminal prosecutors for partisan purposes -- and there's no quotes about that in the case.—
Devin Dwyer,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
For salary cap accounting purposes, this lump sum can be prorated (divided evenly) over the length of the contract to spread out the amount that counts against the cap.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At the same time, the mission will test flight controllers and procedures needed to safely send astronauts back to the moon for long-duration stays as NASA makes plans for a future moon base.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
How does the new Coral Gables board game fit into the chamber’s plans?—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
October 23 – November 21 Group efforts benefit from clear, shared aims.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that his military's aims in Iran are beyond halfway complete, but that Israel is widening its invasion of Lebanon.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Soderbergh extracts some fun from the ensuing cat-and-mouse logistics, from Lori’s meticulous duplication of the Christophers to Julian’s efforts to bluff her into admitting her true intentions.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
As the Waltons have become more and more involved in the city’s development, some have started to express harsh skepticism about their intentions.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Boosting China’s bold space ambitions The team, from the Institute of Mechanics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, also highlighted their material’s potential for aerospace applications during a pivotal moment in spaceflight history.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Fast-forward to the present, and the biennial format has spread across the planet as part of a global culture industry driven as much by tourism and city branding as by artistic ambitions.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Consider enrolling in a class or talking about philosophical ideas with your peers, because such bold curiosity presently translates into mental growth.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
-
If the figures of Rosie the Riveter, Lillian Gilbreth, and Jane Fonda helped to establish ideas of twentieth-century smartness, then PAT, a glitchy computerized mother figure, carries us into the present.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That’s a pretty wide, public airing of grievances against a locker room that is, for all intents and purposes, winning.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
For all intents and purposes, the playoffs have begun.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Goals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goals. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
