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target

target

649 3.5
A person chosen for attack or criticism
  • noun
  • /ˈtɑrɡɪt/
translation icon : blanco
  • I never thought that I would be the target of so much hate.
  • easy targets
  • targets for attack
  • become the target

In fact, we're much bigger targets than if we weren't journalists.

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Examples

  • Teachers completed the forms for 27 of the target students and for 15 of the control students.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Israel is not the victim of a double standard; it is the target of no standard at all.

    Academic text (2011)
  • This is your target right here.

  • Any American in Pakistan is a target.

  • Education was an early target of the Nazis and was soon dominated by ideology.

    Academic text (2011)
  • In the case of school districts, parents are an important target for sophisticated websites.

    Academic text (1999)
  • "Uncle Jerry," as we called him, was the constant target of our jokes and silliness.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Banks are adding extra security for fear of being the Boyd Gang's target.

  • The coalition presence in Afghanistan continues to provide a visible target and rallying point for the extremists.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I never thought that I would be the target of so much hate.

Synonyms

prey
vstarget
60 5.6

A person who others attack, trick, or make fun of

is any person who is attacked, criticised, or exploited
fair game
vstarget
39 5.2

An easy target for people to criticize or attack

is any person who is subject to attack, criticism, or exploitation
quarry
vstarget
11 7.7

An animal or person that others chase to catch

is broader, including criticism and exploitation not only physical pursuit

Idioms

Exactly as you plan or expect

To do something exactly right

Compounds

34 3.5

A person or thing people attack and take advantage of because it is weak

Shooting at objects to improve skill with guns or bows

target market
  • Jargon
9 2.8

A group of people most likely to buy a product or use a service

9 3.9

A specific place people aim to hit, reach, or affect, for example in sport

3 7.4

A person or thing not planned for action but used when available

1 3.7

A place where people practice shooting at targets for training or sport

radar target
  • Specialized
1 5.3

A mark on a radar screen that shows the position of a ship or plane

1 5.2

A company that another company or investor wants to buy

target area
  • Specialized
1 6.1

A part of DNA that scientists choose to study or copy in a lab

1 4.2

A company that another company wants to buy

target cell
  • Specialized
1 5.2

A cell that responds to a specific agent, like a hormone or a virus

7.6

A ship system that finds and shows where a target is to aim weapons

target cell
  • Specialized
8.4

A red blood cell with a dark ring around a dark center seen in some types of anemia

target program
  • Specialized
5.4

A program that is fully prepared to be loaded and run on a computer

target language
  • Specialized
3.7

The language that you translate a text into

target language
  • Specialized
6.6

The language that programmers translate code into so a computer can run it

target organ
  • Specialized
4.8

A body part that a drug or treatment affects

A water plant with floating oval leaves and purple flowers

How Targeted

victim
1.5
to prey
75 7.8
scapegoat
65 6.3
target
649 3.5

Surface Forms

target singular
targets plural

Etymology

Target comes from the old French targette meaning 'small shield'. Since people aimed weapons at shields, the word grew to mean whatever is aimed at, so a target can be a person who is the object of an attack or criticism.