Target — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈtär-gət/ tar·get

Meaning & Definition of Target

Target (noun)

  1. a mark to shoot at
  2. a target marked by shots fired at it
  3. something or someone fired at or marked for attack

Target (verb)

  1. to make a target of; especially, to set as a goal
  2. to direct or use toward a target

Target (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: butt, mark, prey, sitting duck, victim
    related: laughingstock, mockery, pilgarlic, lightning rod, fall guy, goat, scapegoat, whipping boy
    near: gossip, gossiper, talebearer, tattler, tattletale, troublemaker, defamer, libeler, libelist, traducer, baiter, heckler, needler, ribber, taunter, tease, teaser, tormentor, torturer, derider, insulter, mocker, ridiculer, scoffer, scorner, caricaturist, lampooner, parodist, satirist

  2. a person or thing that is made fun of

    "a badly made TV commercial that became the target of lots of jokes"

    similar: butt, derision, jest, joke, laughingstock, mark, mock, mockery, sport
    related: chump, dupe, fall guy, fool, gull, monkey, pigeon, sap, sucker, victim
    near: darling, favorite, pet

  3. something that one hopes or intends to accomplish

    "our target is to raise $100,000 for a new playground by August"

    similar: aim, ambition, aspiration, bourne, design, dream, end, goal, idea, ideal, intent, intention, mark, meaning, object, objective, plan, point, pretension, purpose, thing, name of the game
    related: grail, holy grail, plot, project, scheme, desire, hope, mind, wish, nirvana, destination, terminus
    near: means, method, way

Target (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in taunt, harass

    similar: bait, barrack (chiefly British), bug, catcall, harass, harry, hassle, heckle, needle, pester, rag, taunt, torment, chaff, jive, josh, kid, quiz, rally, razz, rib, ride, tease, tweak, twit, ape, burlesque, caricature, imitate, lampoon, mimic, parody, parrot, pillory, satirize, take off (on), travesty, bad-mouth, belittle, decry, disparage, pooh-pooh, put down, scoff (at), scorn, sneer (at), deride, gibe, jeer, laugh (at), mock, ridicule, scout, shoot down, skewer
    opposite: applaud, approve, commend, endorse, sanction

Related Entry: On-target (adjective)

On-target is a different word from Target. The synonyms below are for on-target, not for target.

  1. being in agreement with the truth or a fact or a standard

    "an economic forecast for three percent growth that turned out to be entirely on-target"

    similar: accurate, bang on (chiefly British), correct, dead-on, exact, good, precise, proper, right, so, spot-on, true, veracious, on target, on the money
    related: legitimate, logical, sound, valid, errorless, faultless, flawless, impeccable, inerrant, infallible, letter-perfect, perfect, rigorous, strict, stringent
    opposite: false, improper, inaccurate, incorrect, inexact, off, untrue, wrong
    near: defective, faulty, flawed, imperfect

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Target

The most common words with a similar meaning to Target:

Chiefly British: barrack
butt, mark, prey, sitting duck, victim, derision, jest, joke, laughingstock, mock, mockery, sport, aim, ambition, aspiration, bourne, design, dream, end, goal, idea, ideal, intent, intention, meaning, object, objective, plan, point, pretension, purpose, thing, name of the game, bait, bug, catcall, harass, harry, hassle, heckle

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Target

Words with the opposite meaning of Target:

applaud, approve, commend, endorse, sanction

Related Words for Target

pilgarlic, lightning rod, fall guy, goat, scapegoat, whipping boy, chump, dupe, fool, gull, monkey, pigeon, sap, sucker, grail, holy grail, plot, project, scheme, desire, hope, mind, wish, nirvana, destination, terminus

Near Antonyms of Target

gossip, gossiper, talebearer, tattler, tattletale, troublemaker, defamer, libeler, libelist, traducer, baiter, heckler, needler, ribber, taunter, tease, teaser, tormentor, torturer, derider, insulter, mocker, ridiculer, scoffer, scorner, caricaturist, lampooner, parodist, satirist, darling

Word Forms of Target

Inflections: targeted, targeting, targets

Origin & Etymology of Target

Middle English, from Middle French targette, targuete, diminutive of targe light shield, from Old French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old Norse targa shield

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Target

Words & Phrases Containing Target

target date, target language, target letter, off target, on target, on-target, find its target, prime target

Frequently Asked Questions about Target

What does "Target" mean?

"Target" means a mark to shoot at. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a mark to shoot at. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Target"?

Other words for "Target" include butt, mark, prey, sitting duck, victim, derision, jest and joke. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Target" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Target"?

There are 113 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Target". Common alternatives include butt, mark, prey, sitting duck, victim, derision, jest, joke, laughingstock and mock.

What is the opposite of "Target"?

Antonyms of "Target" include applaud, approve, commend, endorse and sanction. Near antonyms include gossip, gossiper, talebearer and tattler.

How do you use "Target" in a sentence?

Examples of "Target" in a sentence: "the hapless vice president quickly became the favorite target of late-night comedians"; "a badly made TV commercial that became the target of lots of jokes"; "our target is to raise $100,000 for a new playground by August".

Is "Target" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Target" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Target" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Target" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Target"?

"Target" is pronounced /ˈtär-gət/ and divided into syllables as tar·get.