ENGLISH
REFERENCE

aimed at sb

phr. v..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to direct something, like a product or a comment, toward a specific person or group.

phr. v.. 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.


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.

Particles
at
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
aim + at + object
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.

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