Aim — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Related Entry: Take (verb)

Take is a different word from Aim. The synonyms below are for take, not for aim.

1. to reach for and take hold of by embracing with the fingers or arms

   "take my hand, or we'll get separated in this crowd"

   similar: clasp, grasp, grip, hold, hang on to, lay hold of
   related: clench, cling (to), clutch, hold on (to), catch, nab, seize, snatch
   near: discharge, drop, free, liberate, release, deliver, entrust, give, hand, hand over, pass, relinquish, transfer, transmit, turn over, unhand

2. to agree to receive whether willingly or reluctantly

   "will you take that call?"

   "took a cut in pay"

   similar: accept, have
   related: accede (to), assent (to), concede (to), confirm, consent (to), OK, ratify, sanction, warrant, acquiesce (to), bow (to), capitulate (to), give in (to), submit (to), succumb (to), surrender (to), yield (to), abide, bear, brook, countenance, endure, shoulder, stand, stick out, stomach, support, sustain, swallow, sweat out, tolerate, adopt, embrace, welcome
   opposite: decline, deny, disallow, disapprove, negative, refuse, reject, spurn, turn down, veto
   near: dissent (to), object (to), oppose, protest, hold off, resist, withstand, combat, contest, fight

3. to become affected with (a disease or disorder)

   "if you don't cover your head in this weather, you'll take cold and be stuck inside all weekend"

   similar: catch, come down (with), contract, get, go down (with) (chiefly British), sicken (with)
   related: break out (with), die (from), succumb (to), fail, languish, sink, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither, worsen
   near: come back, gain, heal, mend, recoup, recover, recuperate, snap back, rally, rebound, recover (from), shake (off)

4. to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities

   "you can take the white side this time, since I got to be white for our last chess game"

   similar: cherry-pick, choose, cull, elect, handpick, name, opt (for), pick, prefer, select, single (out), tag
   related: preselect, appoint, designate, fix, mark, nominate, set, tab, tap, accept, adopt, embrace, espouse, settle (on or upon)
   opposite: decline, refuse, reject, turn down
   near: disapprove, negative, repudiate, spurn, discard, jettison, throw away, throw out

5. to get possession of (something) by giving money in exchange for

   "I'll take two cheeseburgers to go, please"

   similar: buy, cop (slang), pick up, purchase
   related: acquire, gain, garner, get, obtain, procure, secure, win, finance, pay (for), spring (for), barter (for), deal (for), dicker (over), exchange (for), haggle (for), negotiate (about), trade (for), bargain (with), chaffer (with), horse-trade (with), palter (with), bid, offer, rebuy, repurchase
   near: deal (in), market, merchandise, retail, sell, vend

6. to have as a requirement

   "it will take a lot of courage to stand up for what is right"

   similar: bear, challenge, claim, demand, necessitate, need, require, want, warrant, call for
   related: entail, involve, ask, beg, clamor (for), cry (for), hurt (for), lack, command, enjoin, exact, insist, press, quest, stipulate
   opposite: have, hold
   near: own, possess

7. to make or have room for

   "I think we can take two more in this elevator"

   similar: accommodate, fit, hold
   related: carry, contain, seat, enclose, encompass, enfold, harbor, house

8. to produce a desired effect

   "it will be a few hours before this medication takes"

   similar: act, operate, perform, work, take effect, take hold
   related: behave, react, respond, affect, influence, sway, pan out, redound, result
   near: backfire, fizzle

9. to put up with (something painful or difficult)

   "I can't take anymore of your whining about your former boyfriend"

   similar: abide, absorb, accept, bear, bide (chiefly dialect), brook, countenance, endure, go, hack, handle, meet, pocket, stand, stick out, stomach, support, sustain, sweat out, tolerate, wear (British), live with, lump (it), stand for, tough it out
   related: allow, permit, suffer, swallow, reconcile (to), acquiesce, agree (with or to), assent (to), capitulate, consent (to), respect, submit (to), yield (to)
   near: decline, dismiss, refuse, reject, repudiate, spurn, turn down, combat, contest, fight, oppose, resist, avoid, bypass, circumvent, dodge, elude, escape, evade, miss, abstain (from), forbear, refrain (from)

10. to regard as right or true

    "I think we can take his word for it"

    similar: accept, believe, buy, credit, swallow, trust, set store by
    related: account, accredit, understand, assume, presume, suppose, conclude, deduce, infer
    opposite: disbelieve, discredit, reject
    near: distrust, doubt, misdoubt, mistrust, question, suspect, challenge, dispute

11. to achieve a victory over

    "I know we can take that team"

    similar: beat, best, conquer, defeat, dispatch, do down (British), get, get around, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), skunk, stop, subdue, surmount, trim, triumph (over), upend, win (against), worst, get the better of, knock for a loop
    related: sweep, edge (out), nose out, pip (British), annihilate, blow away, blow out, bomb, break, bury, clobber, cream, crush, drub, finish, flatten, overwhelm, rout, shellac, skin, slaughter, smoke (slang), snow under, thrash, trounce, upset, wallop, wax (slang), whip, cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed, knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, subjugate, unseat, vanquish, ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcend
    opposite: lose (to)
    near: fall, give up, go down, go under, collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash out

12. to deal with (something) usually skillfully or efficiently

    "let's take each problem separately"

    similar: address, contend (with), cope (with), field, grapple (with), hack, handle, manage, maneuver, manipulate, negotiate, play, swing, treat, come to grips with, have a grip on
    related: engineer, finesse, jockey, bring off, carry off, carry out, get off, pull, command, direct, guide, steer, control, micromanage, regulate, run, react (to), respond (to)
    near: botch, bungle, foozle, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mess (up), mishandle, muff, scamp

13. to offer entrance (as to a place, school, or privilege) to

    "the school takes only a small percentage of the thousands of applicants"

    similar: admit, enter, receive
    related: entertain, welcome, fellowship, confirm, ratify
    opposite: ban, bar
    near: decline, disallow, disapprove, dismiss, refuse, reject, blackball, blacklist, ostracize, banish, deport, exile, expel, oust, throw out

14. to deprive of life

    "I never thought heart disease would take such an athletic and health-conscious person"

    similar: carry off, claim, croak (slang), destroy, dispatch, do in, fell, kill, slay, do away with, do for (chiefly British), make away with
    related: bump off, butcher, cut down, finish, get, ice (slang), knock off, murder, neutralize, off (slang), put away, rub out, scrag, snuff, take out, waste, whack (slang), annihilate, blot out, decimate, kill off, massacre, mow, slaughter, smite, assassinate, execute, martyr, terminate, euthanize, put down, suicide
    opposite: animate
    near: raise, restore, resurrect, resuscitate, revive, nurture