Phrasal verb
aimed at sb
Definition
phrasal verb. to direct something, like a product or a comment, toward a specific person or group.
phrasal verb. to target a specific audience or individual with a message, product, or action; often used in the passive voice to indicate intended recipient or demographic.
Examples
“This new advert is aimed at teenagers.”
“The government's latest health campaign is specifically aimed at people who work in high-stress environments.”
“The CEO's remarks during the press conference were clearly aimed at the shareholders who had expressed concerns regarding the recent merger.”
Examples
simple
“This new advert is aimed at teenagers.”
contextual
“The government's latest health campaign is specifically aimed at people who work in high-stress environments.”
complex
“The CEO's remarks during the press conference were clearly aimed at the shareholders who had expressed concerns regarding the recent merger.”
Usage
frequently used in the passive voice (be aimed at) followed by a noun or a gerund.
Teaching tip
help students distinguish between the literal physical sense (aiming a weapon) and the figurative sense (targeting an audience) by using marketing examples.
Pitfall
The book is aimed to children.
The book is aimed at children.
the preposition 'at' is required after 'aimed' when identifying the target audience.
Phrasal verb
Particles
at
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
aim + at + object