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 Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
For those wearing the putative target on their back, this can surely be agonizing.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Feb. 2026
The cash payments will target mothers in seven Indianapolis ZIP codes with some of the highest infant mortality rates.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for target
Noun
An Israeli military official told the AP that the strikes were carried out in response to ceasefire violations but declined to comment on specific targets.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
For those wearing the putative target on their back, this can surely be agonizing.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
But people are going to try to find any way to target anyone that's not them.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Feb. 2026
The cash payments will target mothers in seven Indianapolis ZIP codes with some of the highest infant mortality rates.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for target
Recent Examples of Synonyms for target
Noun
-
Lawmakers complained when the Justice Department made only a limited release last month, but officials said more time was needed to review an additional trove of documents that was discovered and to scour the records to ensure no sensitive information about victims was inadvertently released.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
In the car, when Irvin briefly turned his attention away from the victim, the man reached for his own gun and shot Irvin three times in the head.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But for too many of us, that proved an empty promise, the concept of work-life balance a cruel joke for women burned out from trying to take care of children and aging relatives, advance their careers (or even tread water in them), and meet other seemingly countless obligations.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
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Verizon had no say over the fate of an actor who once played a fictional ad icon on its behalf, but consumers got the joke.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Pageau smashed home his second goal late in the third to finish off a listless Flyers team.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Playing five games over the course of three days, Willis logged three goals and two assists.—
Clark Fahrenthold,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Seattle Seahawks defensive back Tariq Woolen was fined $17,398 Saturday for a taunting penalty during the NFC championship game against the Los Angeles Rams.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Rich kids on scooters swerved aggressively around the gillagers, taunting them.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Alex arrives to find Lucy literally quaking in fear, especially when Stephen summons the two of them to come meet his latest prey, whose name is Tegan.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Some fish, for instance, may be determined to exploit the octopus’s efforts, such as trying to snatch prey that the octopus has uncovered but not yet captured.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But Cramer said that is a fool’s errands as the market seemingly changes its tune each quarter.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Of course, comparing the bottle in question to contemporary releases is a fool’s errand—this was something different entirely.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In the coming months, Starbucks plans to reintroduce tiers to its loyalty program, launch Energy Refreshers and more efficient espresso machines, all with the aim of meeting those new financial targets.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
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The club’s stated aims are to compete for European qualification and a first major trophy.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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He was prohibited from owning the weapons by a Sacramento Superior Court order that bars him from harassing, stalking and threatening an intimate partner, the indictment says.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
In Oklahoma, House Bill 1597 states that staying within 25 feet of law enforcement, correctional, probation, parole, or EMS personnel with the intent to harass, interfere, or distract them while conducting their duties can be considered a misdemeanor if an initial warning is ignored.—
Josh Kelly,
Oklahoman,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Target.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/target. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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