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
Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2026
The delay comes as a fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran holds for now, but remains under strain, as Israel continues to hit Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
—Dalia Abdelwahab, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
Ed Sayres, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
Bondi accused of shielding Epstein associates The impeachment articles also target Bondi's handling of the Epstein files, which have earned her critics on both sides of the aisle in Congress.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for target
Noun
Treadway stands out amongst deep receivers group One of several carryovers from Toledo, Treadway is a 6-foot-3, 193-pound rising sophomore who looked comfortable in every situation and saw a high volume of targets on Saturday.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2026
The delay comes as a fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran holds for now, but remains under strain, as Israel continues to hit Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
—Dalia Abdelwahab, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
The goal of this legislation is to target puppy mills — irresponsible dog breeders who don’t provide for animal welfare.
—Ed Sayres, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
Bondi accused of shielding Epstein associates The impeachment articles also target Bondi's handling of the Epstein files, which have earned her critics on both sides of the aisle in Congress.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for target
Recent Examples of Synonyms for target
Noun
-
He is then seen slowly approaching the victim, checking his surroundings, and removing his shoes before grabbing her from behind.—
Ana Maria Soler,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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The harpsichord was also a victim of the orchestral era.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Horner seemed calm and articulate and also made inappropriate jokes during the interview, Espinoza said.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
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Yet, the three — even Cavallari and Conrad, who were pitted against each other in the 2000s — were warm and chummy, cracking jokes and enthusiastically agreeing with one another.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As currently written, the bill would also formally declare the state’s ultimate goal to be restoration of the animals, once so ubiquitous that they are enshrined in the state’s flag.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Connor Bedard earned his 200th career point with an assist on Donato’s first-period goal.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Then, guards who worked for the contractor Critical Response Strategies began taunting detainees, threatening to enter the cage where immigrants were held.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
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That strategy, known as exon skipping, would taunt Debra for two decades, always promising a therapy just out of reach.—
Jason Mast,
STAT,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Most are nocturnal, venturing out at night to hunt fish, insects and other small prey.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
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Most are nocturnal, venturing out at night to hunt for fish, insects and other small prey.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And what kind of fool would write such an article?—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Start with a pastel pink French tip, then treat each nail as a canvas for delicate swan art (or opt for stickers for a fool-proof DIY).—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The law notably establishes an independent registry of art forgery experts within the culture ministry to appraise and archive cases, with the aim of fostering a more trustworthy art market.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
9 Apr. 2026
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Their overall aim is to roll back FDA rules that have made the pills more accessible.—
Geoff Mulvihill,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The following year, the club were made aware of footage of two male Bournemouth supporters intervening after witnessing a woman being harassed on public transport.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
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In 2017, Matthew Herrick sued the dating app Grindr after his ex-boyfriend used fake profiles to harass Herrick and send hundreds of strangers to his home.—
Shannon Bond,
NPR,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Target.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/target. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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