aim

[ eym ]

/ eɪm /

Save This Word!

Definition of aim

verb (used with object)

to position or direct (a firearm, ball, arrow, rocket, etc.) so that, on firing or release, the discharged projectile will hit a target or travel along a certain path.

to intend or direct for a particular effect or purpose: to aim a satire at snobbery.

verb (used without object)

to point or direct a gun, punch, etc., toward: He aimed at the target but missed it.

to strive; try (usually followed by to or at): We aim to please. They aim at saving something every month.

to intend: She aims to go tomorrow.

to direct efforts, as toward an object: The satire aimed at modern greed.

Obsolete. to estimate; guess.

noun

the act of aiming or directing anything at or toward a particular point or target.

the direction in which a weapon or missile is pointed; the line of sighting: within the cannon's aim.

the point intended to be hit; thing or person aimed at: to miss one's aim.

something intended or desired to be attained by one's efforts; purpose: whatever his aim in life may be.

Obsolete. conjecture; guess.

OTHER WORDS FOR aim

1 point.

8 sighting.

10 target, objective.

11 goal; intent, design.

See synonyms for aim on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

GOOSES. GEESES. I WANT THIS QUIZ ON PLURAL NOUNS!

Test how much you really know about regular and irregular plural nouns with this quiz.

Question 1 of 9

Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about aim

take aim, to sight a target: to take aim and fire.

Origin of aim

1275–1325; late Middle English aimen<Anglo-French a(e)smer, eimer,Old French aesmer<Vulgar Latin *adaestimāre, equivalent to Latin ad-ad- + aestimāre (see estimate); replacing Middle English amen<Old French (dial.) amer<Latin aestimāre

synonym study for aim

11. Aim, end, object all imply something that is the goal of one's efforts. Aim implies that toward which one makes a direct line, refusing to be diverted from it: a nobleness of aim; one's aim in life. End emphasizes the goal as a cause of efforts: the end for which one strives. Object emphasizes the goal as that toward which all efforts are directed: the object of years of study.

OTHER WORDS FROM aim

aimer, nounaimful, adjectiveaim·ful·ly, adverbmis·aim, verb, noun

un·aimed, adjectiveun·aim·ing, adjectiveun·der·aim, nounun·der·aim, verbwell-aimed, adjective

Other definitions for aim (2 of 2)

AIM

[ eym ]

/ eɪm /

noun

American Indian Movement.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use aim in a sentence

Albeit frank about its aim to build more brand awareness, 85% of the show’s time teaches, for free, how to build a business to success.
Inbound marketing for brand awareness: Four up-to-date ways to do it|Ali Faagba|September 11, 2020|Search Engine Watch
The aim of this program is to boost confidence in math among 6th and 7th graders.
A secret of science: Mistakes boost understanding|Rachel Kehoe|September 10, 2020|Science News For Students
At the 11-minute mark, Schulman explains the initiative and its aims.
PayPal’s CEO on why moral leadership makes clear capitalism needs an upgrade|McKenna Moore|September 8, 2020|Fortune
On updating e-commerce rules and liability — which is a stated aim of the DSA plan — Google is cautiously supportive of regulatory changes to reflect what it describes as “the digital transformation of the last two decades.”
Google pushes Europe to limit ‘gatekeeper’ platform rules|Natasha Lomas|September 4, 2020|TechCrunch

Amazon’s Project Kuiper has similar aims but has yet to loft any satellites.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX Internet service, Starlink, officially reveals download speeds|Aaron Pressman|September 3, 2020|Fortune
Isolated lesbians learned that there were other women like them via books whose covers aimed to titillate heterosexual men.
How Pulp Fiction Saved Literature|Wendy Smith|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But consider how citizens here in the States are now being arrested for posting threatening messages aimed at police on Facebook.
Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead|Luke O’Neil|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
So too with a vaccine that provokes a specific immune response aimed at a specific RNA sequence.
When You Get the Flu This Winter, You Can Blame Anti-Vaxxers|Kent Sepkowitz|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Leave it to Katniss to cut through a story with one perfectly aimed strike.
Jennifer Lawrence’s Righteous Fury Says Everything We Wanted to Say|Kevin O’Keeffe|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I was lost, fresh back from Vietnam, searching, maybe, for a peril the equivalent of war but aimed in the direction of life.
What It Takes to Kill a Grizzly Bear|Doug Peacock|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He aimed at the yawning hippopotamus and fired, hitting it on the skull, but at such an angle that the ball glanced off.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
The well-aimed shots of the Americans were beginning to tell forcibly against the Spaniards.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
In employing these heavy pressures of wind, increased purity and beauty of tone should alone be aimed at.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller
Prosperity is a good thing, but you, at least, know what he has aimed at stands high above that.
Winston of the Prairie|Harold Bindloss
Tchaikovsky, on the contrary, had more respect than enthusiasm for Beethoven, and never aimed at following in his footsteps.
The Life & Letters of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky|Modeste Tchaikovsky

British Dictionary definitions for aim (1 of 2)

aim

/ (eɪm) /

verb

to point (a weapon, missile, etc) or direct (a blow) at a particular person or object; level

(tr) to direct (satire, criticism, etc) at a person, object, etc

(intr; foll by at or an infinitive) to propose or intendwe aim to leave early

(intr; often foll by at or for) to direct one's efforts or strive (towards)to aim at better communications; to aim high

noun

the action of directing something at an object

the direction in which something is pointed; line of sighting (esp in the phrase to take aim)

the object at which something is aimed; target

intention; purpose

Word Origin for aim

C14: via Old French aesmer from Latin aestimāre to estimate

British Dictionary definitions for aim (2 of 2)

AIM

abbreviation for

(in Britain) Alternative Investment Market

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with aim

aim

In addition to the idiom beginning with aim

aim to

also see:

take aim

aim

Definition of aim

OTHER WORDS FOR aim

Idioms about aim

Origin of aim

synonym study for aim

OTHER WORDS FROM aim

Other definitions for aim (2 of 2)

Words related to aim

How to use aim in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for aim (1 of 2)

Word Origin for aim

British Dictionary definitions for aim (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with aim