to shoot for

Examples

• All

• This is the opportunity you've been shooting for.

  Permanent Record (1988)

• We're shooting for number one.

  Syrup (2013)

• And this is my first year of really making it public and shooting for the moon.

  Graham Stephan

• OK, boss, tell me what we're shooting for here.

  Fiction book (2002)

• Shoot for the moon, kid.

  Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)

• Many startups fail because they try to shoot for a general market.

  Blog text (7)

• My child has done well in high school, and we're shooting for merit awards at less-than-top-tier universities.

  Blog text (9)

• She decided to shoot for a promotion at work this year, aiming to prove her leadership skills.

• He always encourages his students to shoot for their dreams, no matter how difficult they may seem.

• In her speech, she urged everyone to shoot for excellence and strive to achieve their personal best.

Synonyms

T

to try

vsto shoot for

∞ 1.0

To make an effort to do something difficult

implies aiming at ambitious or challenging goals rather than just making an effort

A

to attempt

vsto shoot for

∞ 1.3

To try to do something that is difficult or new

focuses on repeatedly aiming for hard goals rather than a single experimental try

S

to seek

vsto shoot for

∞ 1.0

Try to find or get something you want

is about aiming at ambitious or difficult objectives rather than general searching

P

to pursue

vsto shoot for

∞ 3.5

To try to get something you want, like a job or a goal

focuses on ambitious or especially difficult goals rather than any effort

G

to go for

vsto shoot for

272 2.5

To try to get something you want by making an effort

is about choosing challenging objectives rather than general casual efforts

A

to aim at

vsto shoot for

239 2.3

Try to reach a goal

selects especially ambitious or difficult goals rather than any regular target

A

to aim

vsto shoot for

234 1.0

To plan to do something to reach a goal

targets ambitious or difficult goals rather than general purposive plans

S

to strive

vsto shoot for

156 3.7

To work very hard to reach a goal

emphasises aiming for hard ambitious goals rather than effort without a goal

A

to aspire

vsto shoot for

106 4.1

To want very much to achieve an important goal

aims to reach difficult goals actively rather than only feeling desire

A

to aim for

vsto shoot for

79 2.8

To try to reach a goal

is about choosing challenging targets rather than simply directing effort at any goal

T

to try for

vsto shoot for

76 3.1

Make a strong effort to get something you want

targets ambitious or difficult goals rather than any determined effort at anything

T

to take a shot at

vsto shoot for

• Informal

45 3.7

To try to do something even when success is uncertain

means setting ambitious goals rather than simply making a tentative attempt

F

to follow your dream

vsto shoot for

18 3.4

To try to reach a personal goal despite problems

seeks challenging goals generally rather than focusing only on personal hopes

T

to take aim at

vsto shoot for

18 4.1

Direct attention, effort, or criticism toward a target

focuses on ambitious achievements rather than directing effort at people or faults

G

to gun for

vsto shoot for

• Informal

15 4.7

To try very hard to get a promotion or top position

focuses on ambitious targets without the strong competitive or aggressive push

D

to dream big

vsto shoot for

• Informal

15 3.4

To have very big goals for the future

sets challenging concrete goals rather than only imagining large hopes

A

to aim high

vsto shoot for

5 3.9

Try to reach very difficult goals

focuses on ambitious or difficult goals rather than small everyday objectives

R

to reach for the stars

vsto shoot for

• Informal

4 4.9

To try to achieve very big goals

focuses on challenging goals rather than ordinary objectives

R

to reach for the sky

vsto shoot for

• Informal

3 7.1

To try to do very big or difficult things to get what you want

focuses on ambitious goals rather than being mainly about distant dreams

S

to shoot for the stars

vsto shoot for

• Informal

2 4.7

Try to reach a very high and difficult goal

targets ambitious but not necessarily extremely unlikely goals

S

to set a target

vsto shoot for

1 3.2

Decide on a clear goal to reach

chooses difficult ambitious goals rather than only assigning ordinary objectives

P

to pursue a dream

vsto shoot for

1 3.0

Work to make a dream come true

targets ambitious or difficult goals more broadly than personal aspirations

H

to hunt a white whale

vsto shoot for

• Informal

9.3

To try to reach a very difficult or impossible goal for a long time

means to aim for hard goals but without implying obsession or fixation

H

to have (something) in one's sights

vsto shoot for

5.3

Plan to get something you want, like a job or prize

aims for particularly challenging goals rather than any straightforward planned goal

D

to draw a bead on

vsto shoot for

8.2

Pay close attention to a person, goal, or problem

applies to aiming at challenging goals rather than narrow single point focus

Antonyms

G

to give up

∞ 1.2

To stop trying to do something or accept defeat

S

to settle for

143 3.6

Accept less than you wanted or hoped for

How Ambitious

to reach for the stars

• Informal

4 4.9

to shoot for

• Informal

30 3.9

to aim for

79 2.8

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology