target

noun

OPAL WOPAL S

/ˈtɑːɡɪt/

/ˈtɑːrɡɪt/

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a result that you try to achieve
- to meet/hit a target
- The firm is on track to achieve its growth target for the year.
- The university will reach its target of 5 000 students next September.
- The department has missed its sales target for the third month running.
- Set yourself targets that you can reasonably hope to achieve.
- on target The new sports complex is on target to open in June.
- off target These figures are way off target.
- a target date of April 2022
- a target audience/market (= the particular audience, area etc. that a product, programme, etc. is aimed at)
- The film's target demographic is women aged 18–49 years.
- We're using social media to communicate with our target customers.
Synonyms target
target
- objective
- goal
- object
- end
These are all words for something that you are trying to achieve.
- target a result that you try to achieve:
  Set yourself targets that you can reasonably hope to achieve.
  attainment targets in schools
- objective (rather formal) something that you are trying to achieve:
  What is the main objective of this project?
- goal something that you hope to achieve:
  He continued to pursue his goal of becoming an actor.
target, objective or goal?A target is usually officially recorded in some way, for example by an employer or by a government committee. It is often specific, and in the form of figures, such as number of sales or exam passes, or a date. People often set their own objectives: these are things that they wish to achieve, often as part of a project or a talk they are giving. Goals are often long-term, and relate to people’s life and career plans or the long-term plans of a company or organization.
- object the purpose of something; something that you plan to achieve:
  The object is to educate people about road safety.
- end something that you plan to achieve:
  He joined the society for political ends.
  That’s only OK if you believe that the end justifies the means (= bad methods of doing something are acceptable if the final result is good).
  End is usually used in the plural or in particular fixed expressions.
Patterns
- to work towards a(n) target/objective/goal
- a(n) ambitious/major/long-term/short-term/future target/objective/goal
- economic/financial/business targets/objectives/goals
- to set/agree on/identify/reach/meet/exceed a(n) target/objective/goal
- to achieve a(n) target/objective/goal/end
Collocations Business
BusinessRunning a business
- buy/acquire/own/sell a company/firm/franchise
- set up/establish/start/start up/launch a business/company
- run/operate a business/company/franchise
- head/run a firm/department/team
- make/secure/win/block a deal
- expand/grow/build the business
- boost/increase investment/spending/sales/turnover/earnings/exports/trade
- increase/expand production/output/sales
- boost/maximize production/productivity/efficiency/income/revenue/profit/profitability
- achieve/maintain/sustain growth/profitability
- cut/reduce/bring down/lower/slash costs/prices
- announce/impose/make cuts/cutbacks
Sales and marketing
- break into/enter/capture/dominate the market
- gain/grab/take/win/boost/lose market share
- find/build/create a market for something
- start/launch an advertising/a marketing campaign
- develop/launch/promote a product/website
- create/generate demand for your product
- attract/get/retain/help customers/clients
- drive/generate/boost/increase demand/sales
- beat/keep ahead of/out-think/outperform the competition
- meet/reach/exceed/miss sales targets
Finance
- draw up/set/present/agree/approve a budget
- keep to/balance/cut/reduce/slash the budget
- be/come in below/under/over/within budget
- generate income/revenue/profit/funds/business
- fund/finance a campaign/a venture/an expansion/spending/a deficit
- provide/raise/allocate capital/funds
- attract/encourage investment/investors
- recover/recoup costs/losses/an investment
- get/obtain/offer somebody/grant somebody credit/a loan
- apply for/raise/secure/arrange/provide finance
Failure
- lose business/trade/customers/sales/revenue
- accumulate/accrue/incur/run up debts
- suffer/sustain enormous/heavy/serious losses
- face cuts/a deficit/redundancy/bankruptcy
- file for/ (North American English) enter/avoid/escape bankruptcy
- (British English) go into administration/liquidation
- liquidate/wind up a company
- survive/weather a recession/downturn
- propose/seek/block/oppose a merger
- launch/make/accept/defeat a takeover bid
Extra Examples
- Hospital performance targets will not be met.
- Many pay agreements reached were over the original target of 4%.
- Pupils should be given a target to aim for.
- Sales so far this year are 20% above target.
- She has always set herself very high targets.
- The CEO has set new targets for growth.
- The company pays bonuses to workers who exceed production targets.
- We are well within our target for trains arriving on time.
- We are working towards a target of twenty cars a week.
- What's the target market for this product?
Topics Successa2, Working lifea2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- achievable
- attainable
- low
- …
verb + target
- set
- aim for
- achieve
- …
target + noun
- audience
- demographic
- group
- …
preposition
- above (a/the) target
- off target
- on target
- …
See full entry
an object, a person or a place that people aim at when attacking
- They attacked military and civilian targets.
- target for somebody/something Doors and windows are an easy target for burglars.
- The children became the target for their father’s aggressive outbursts.
- It's a prime target (= an obvious target) for terrorist attacks.
- target of something (figurative) He's become the target of a lot of criticism recently.
Extra Examples
- The bomb reached its intended target ten seconds later.
- The damaged ship presented a tempting target.
- The flare overshot its target and set fire to a hotel.
- The missile veered way off target and landed in the sea.
- The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.
- The stationary trucks were sitting targets for the enemy planes.
- The company could become a takeover target.
- The real target of his satire is religion.
- The President is a favorite target of comedians.
- Politically speaking, his jibes were right on target.
Topics War and conflictb1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- favourite/favorite
- frequent
- important
- …
verb + target
- choose
- identify
- pick
- …
target + noun
- site
preposition
- off target
- on target
- target for
- …
See full entry
enlarge image
an object that people practise shooting at, especially a round board with circles on it
- to aim at a target
- to hit/miss the target
- target practice
Extra Examples
- The archers were setting up their targets.
- The boys used an old tree stump as a target.
- The shot went wide of the target.
- Patton was just off target with a header.
- (figurative) It should be possible to deliver the drug direct to the target site.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
verb + target
- put up
- set up
- aim at
- …
target + noun
- area
- range
- practice
- …
preposition
- off target
- on target
- wide of the target
- …
See full entry

Word Originlate Middle English (originally referring to a small round shield): diminutive of targe Old English, of Germanic origin. The noun came to denote various round objects. The verb dates from the early 17th cent.

target

verb

OPAL WOPAL S

/ˈtɑːɡɪt/

/ˈtɑːrɡɪt/

[usually passive]

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they target	/ˈtɑːɡɪt/ /ˈtɑːrɡɪt/
he / she / it targets	/ˈtɑːɡɪts/ /ˈtɑːrɡɪts/
past simple targeted	/ˈtɑːɡɪtɪd/ /ˈtɑːrɡɪtɪd/
past participle targeted	/ˈtɑːɡɪtɪd/ /ˈtɑːrɡɪtɪd/
-ing form targeting	/ˈtɑːɡɪtɪŋ/ /ˈtɑːrɡɪtɪŋ/

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to aim an attack or a criticism at somebody/something
- target somebody/something He accused the group of deliberately targeting civilians.
- The company has been targeted by animal rights groups for its use of dogs in drugs trials.
- target something at somebody/something The criticism was targeted chiefly at the managing director.
- The missiles were mainly targeted at the United States.
Extra Examples
- The authority was accused of unfairly targeting minority groups.
- Police are actively targeting known offenders.
- Children are deliberately targeted.
Topics War and conflictb2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- deliberately
- intentionally
- particularly
- …
preposition
- at
- for
- on
- …
See full entry
to try to have an effect on a particular group of people or particular thing
- target somebody/something Film-makers are increasingly targeting international markets.
- target something at/on somebody The campaign is specifically targeted at children.
- target something for something This hospital has been targeted for additional funding.
Extra Examples
- a new magazine that targets single men
- an exercise that directly targets the back muscles
- a carefully targeted marketing campaign
- The products are targeted at young people.
- The booklet is targeted at people approaching retirement.
- Tax cuts should be targeted on the poor.
- We sought to target help on those who most needed it.
- We target our services towards specific groups of people.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- deliberately
- intentionally
- particularly
- …
preposition
- at
- for
- on
- …
See full entry