1
as in victim
a person or thing that is the object of abuse, criticism, or ridicule
the hapless vice president quickly became the favorite target of late-night comedians
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in joke
a person or thing that is made fun of
a badly made TV commercial that became the target of lots of jokes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in goal
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
our target is to raise $100,000 for a new playground by August
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to taunt
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of target
Michael Salfino, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
The Odesa region -- which borders Romania to the west and encompasses Ukraine's Danube River ports -- was among the main targets of Monday night's barrage, the air force said.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 11 Nov. 2025
CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Pivot team officers use data to proactively target crime hot spots across the city.
—David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for target
Noun
The 2024 Bills leader in TD catches was also super efficient, catching 10 targets for 106 yards.
—Michael Salfino, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2025
The Odesa region -- which borders Romania to the west and encompasses Ukraine's Danube River ports -- was among the main targets of Monday night's barrage, the air force said.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says Indonesia is a major drug smuggling hub despite having some of the strictest drug laws in the world, in part because international drug syndicates target its young population.
—CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Pivot team officers use data to proactively target crime hot spots across the city.
—David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for target
Recent Examples of Synonyms for target
Noun
-
The title especially stings for the many survivors of violence and persecution under Suharto’s rule – and the families of his victims.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
-
In an email, Victoria Police confirmed the victims were a 33-year-old woman and a 7-year-old boy from Doveton.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The comedy is a tonal mess, veering between underdeveloped jokes and unearned sentiment.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
-
How did Joy nearly die in the wilderness of Colorado, a place that, in a joke the film keeps repeating, is almost all white people?—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Trump’s goal could be to rally a majority of the world’s countries to call for an immediate and unconditional cease-fire, with details on implementation to be worked out by the parties.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Some of the choices at the deli counter are better for certain health needs and goals than others.—
Abby Norman,
Verywell Health,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The taunting penalty moved the Cowboys back 15 yards at a crucial juncture of the game.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The kickers were so poor that Boston College head coach Bill O’Brien could have been flagged for taunting by calling for a prevent defense at his own 31-yard line just before halftime.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Shorebirds like sandpipers and plovers use this sense to detect prey beneath the sand by sensing subtle mechanical vibrations.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Many thousands flee its mandatory, indefinite military service – and some fall prey to exploitative trafficking gangs.—
Mick Krever,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The mind wants desperately to connect with a person—and fools itself into seeing one in a machine.—
Damon Beres,
The Atlantic,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Since medieval times, the colorful fool—from court jesters to Shakespeare’s characters—has used playful wit to critique authority and buffoonery to whip up excitement.—
Time,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The aim is practical comfort that could help new parents spend less time adjusting straps or tugging at seams and more time getting through a list that changes by the hour.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
11 Nov. 2025
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So just what is the true aim of spiralism?—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
He was accused of harassing the troops, though O'Hara disputed the claim.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Can Atlanta’s defense, which ranks among the top half of teams in both sacks and quarterback rating, similarly harass Jones?—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Target.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/target. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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