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Synonyms

goal-oriented

American  
[gohl-awr-ee-en-tid, ‐-ohr‐] / ˈgoʊlˌɔr iˌɛn tɪd, ‐ˌoʊr‐ /
especially British, goal-orientated

adjective

  1. (of a person) focused on reaching a specific objective or accomplishing a given task; driven by purpose.

    goal-oriented teams of teachers.

  2. (of a project or plan) designed to achieve desired results; targeted.

    a goal-oriented budget.


Etymology

Origin of goal-oriented

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The profile describes his character traits as “hardworking, goal-oriented, decisive, true to his principles, lover of freedom.”

From The Wall Street Journal Dec. 23, 2025

Being a father has provided the obsessively goal-oriented McVay something new to “chase,” Whitworth said.

From Los Angeles Times Nov. 21, 2024

We think of negotiation, conflict resolution as goal-oriented behavior.

From Salon May 26, 2024

The NAc has a critical role in the learning and execution of goal-oriented behaviors.

From Science Daily Mar. 15, 2024

The European spirit is knowledge oriented, while the American perfectionist spirit is goal-oriented.

From The Brain, A Decoded Enigma by Dorin Teodor Moisa

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