# target /ˈtɑɹɡət/ (US) · /tˈɑːɡɪt/ (UK) Source: https://englishreference.com/word/target Updated: 2026-06-19 ## Senses ### 1. physical mark noun · CEFR A2 an object that you try to hit when you are shooting or throwing something. For teachers: a physical mark or object, such as a butt or disk, used as a point of aim for projectiles or firearms. - The archer pulled back the string and aimed his arrow at the center of the target. - The recruits spent the afternoon on the firing range, attempting to hit moving targets from a distance of two hundred metres. ### 2. a goal noun · CEFR B1 a result or amount that you are trying to achieve. For teachers: a desired goal, objective, or level of performance that an individual or organisation intends to reach. - The sales team reached their monthly target two days before the deadline. - The government has set an ambitious target to reduce carbon emissions by fifty percent within the next decade. ### 3. person being attacked noun · CEFR B2 a person or thing that is being attacked or criticized. For teachers: a person, entity, or location that is the object of criticism, ridicule, or physical attack. - The politician became a target for jokes after his embarrassing mistake. - The CEO found himself the primary target of shareholder frustration following the announcement of the quarterly losses. ### 4. intended audience noun · CEFR B2 · Academic the specific group of people that a product or message is made for. For teachers: the specific demographic or audience toward which a marketing campaign or communication is directed. - The target for this new video game is teenagers who enjoy sports. - The advertising agency identified young professionals as the primary target for the luxury car campaign. ### 5. mathematics noun · CEFR C1 · Technical the set of possible results for a mathematical function. For teachers: the codomain of a function; the set into which all of the outputs of the function are constrained to fall. - In this equation, the target of the function is the set of all real numbers. - The student struggled to distinguish between the actual range of the function and its formal target set. ### 6. to aim at verb · CEFR B1 to aim a weapon or a comment at a specific person or thing. For teachers: to direct a weapon, remark, or action toward a specific object or individual. Transitive — always takes a direct object. - The missiles were programmed to target the enemy's communication towers. - The investigators decided to target the financial records of the company to find evidence of the fraud. ### 7. to focus on a group verb · CEFR B2 to direct an advertisement or a product toward a specific group of people. For teachers: to tailor or direct resources, such as marketing or social programmes, toward a specific demographic. - The new health campaign will target smokers who want to quit. - The charity aims to target its aid toward rural communities that have been isolated by the recent floods. ### 8. computing verb · CEFR C1 · Technical to design software so that it works on a specific type of computer or system. For teachers: to configure or compile software code to be compatible with a specific hardware architecture or operating system. - The developers are targeting the latest mobile operating system for their new app. - By targeting the ARM architecture, the software can run efficiently on a wide range of modern portable devices. ## Examples - The archer hit the center of the target. - The sales team worked late every night to ensure they reached their monthly target before the deadline. - In translation studies, the target language is the one into which a text is being rendered, requiring the linguist to balance fidelity to the source with natural expression. --- From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.