ENGLISH
REFERENCE

targeted

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈtɑɹɡətɪd// UK //tˈɑːɡɪtɪd// tar·get·ed

v. to choose a specific person, group, or thing to focus your attention or actions on. You use this when you want to reach a particular goal or audience.

v. to select a specific object, individual, or demographic as the focus of an action, attack, or marketing campaign. Transitive — requires a direct object.


SIMPLE

The new advertising campaign targeted young professionals.

CONTEXTUAL

The charity targeted its efforts toward rural communities that lacked access to clean drinking water.

COMPLEX

By analyzing consumer browsing habits, the software targeted specific users with personalized recommendations designed to maximize the probability of a purchase.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. In passive constructions, it is frequently followed by the preposition 'at'.

Pitfall

The ads targeted to studentsThe ads targeted studentsTargeted is a transitive verb; it should be followed directly by the object without the preposition 'to'.

© 2026 English Reference