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• object
  object

  noun

  anything that is visible or tangible and is relatively stable in form.
• object.
  object.

  abbreviation

  objection.

object

¹ American  

[ob-jikt, -jekt, uhb-jekt] / ˈɒb dʒɪkt, -dʒɛkt, əbˈdʒɛkt /

noun

• objects
  plural

1. anything that is visible or tangible and is relatively stable in form.

2. a thing, person, or matter to which thought or action is directed.

   an object of medical investigation.

3. the end toward which effort or action is directed; goal; purpose.

   Profit is the object of business.

   Synonyms:

   motive, intention, intent, aim, target, objective

4. a person or thing with reference to the impression made on the mind or the feeling or emotion elicited in an observer.

   an object of curiosity and pity.

5. anything that may be apprehended intellectually.

   objects of thought.

6. Optics. the thing of which a lens or mirror forms an image.

7. Grammar. (in many languages, such as English) a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun that represents either the goal of the action of a verb or the goal of a preposition in a prepositional phrase: for example, ball in John hit the ball, or Venice in He came to Venice, or coin and her in He gave her a coin.

8. Digital Technology.

   1. any item that can be individually selected or manipulated, as a picture, data file, or piece of text.

   2. in object-oriented programming, a self-contained entity that consists of both data and operations to manipulate the data.

9. Metaphysics. something toward which a cognitive act is directed.

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verb (used without object)

• objects,
  present (3rd person singular)
• objected,
  past participle,  past
• objecting
  present participle

1. to offer a reason or argument in opposition.

2. to express or feel disapproval, dislike, or distaste; be averse.

3. to refuse or attempt to refuse to permit some action, speech, etc.

verb (used with object)

• objects,
  present (3rd person singular)
• objected,
  past participle,  past
• objecting
  present participle

1. to state, claim, or cite in opposition; put forward in objection, disagreement, or disapproval.

   Some people objected that the proposed import duty would harm world trade.

2. Archaic. to bring forward or cite in opposition.

object. ² American  

abbreviation

1. objection.

2. objective.

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object ¹ British  

/ ˈɒbdʒɪkt /

noun

1. a tangible and visible thing

2. a person or thing seen as a focus or target for feelings, thought, etc

   an object of affection

3. an aim, purpose, or objective

4. informal a ridiculous or pitiable person, spectacle, etc

5. philosophy that towards which cognition is directed, as contrasted with the thinking subject; anything regarded as external to the mind, esp in the external world

6. grammar a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase whose referent is the recipient of the action of a verb See also direct object indirect object

7. grammar a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that is governed by a preposition

8. not a hindrance or obstacle

   money is no object

9. computing a self-contained identifiable component of a software system or design

   object-oriented programming

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object ² British  

/ əbˈdʒɛkt /

verb

1. (tr; takes a clause as object) to state as an objection

   he objected that his motives had been good

2. to raise or state an objection (to); present an argument (against)

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object Cultural  

1. A part of a sentence; a noun, pronoun, or group of words that receives or is affected by the action of a verb. (See direct object, indirect object, and objective case.)

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object Idioms  

1. see money is no object.

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Synonym Usage

See aim.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• objector
  noun
• overobject
  verb
• reobject
  verb (used with object)
• unobjected
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• objects
  plural

Participles

• objecting
  present
• objected
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• object
  simple
• objects
  simple
• have objected
  perfect
• has objected
  perfect
• am objecting
  progressive
• are objecting
  progressive
• is objecting
  progressive
• have been objecting
  perfect progressive
• has been objecting
  perfect progressive

Past

• objected
  simple
• had objected
  perfect
• was objecting
  progressive
• were objecting
  progressive
• had been objecting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will object
  simple
• will have objected
  perfect
• will be objecting
  progressive
• will have been objecting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of object

First recorded in 1325–75; (noun) Middle English: “something perceived, purpose, objection,” from Medieval Latin objectum “something thrown down or presented (to the mind),” noun use of neuter of Latin objectus “thrown toward,” past participle of obicere, objicere “to throw toward” ( see ob- ( def. ), jet ¹ ( def. )); verb from Middle French obje(c)ter, from Latin objectāre “to throw or put before, oppose,” frequentative of obicere, objicere, as above

Explanation

When your younger brother runs around the house with scissors, you should definitely object. Perhaps a less sharp object such as a roll of paper towels would suffice. An object (OB-ject) is something that is a visible entity, something that can be perceived by the senses. If you are unsure whether something is an object, test it by seeing whether it can cast a shadow; if it can, it's an object, if it can't, it's not. In court, lawyers will often say, "I object!" Here, the verb object (ob-JECT) means to express disagreement.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

object object. objects objected objecting

Stand with your back facing a corner and with a solid object, like a chair or railing, in front of you that you can grab onto in case you lose your balance.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

Almost since its 1882 inception—Gaudí inherited the project a year later from the neo-Gothically inclined Francisco de Paula del Villar—the world’s longest-running construction project has been an object of irritation, admiration and parody.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

As the 65-year-old was using a pickax to remove what he thought was a rectangular piece of concrete, the object moved.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

This happens when an object that appears larger from the viewer's perspective completely blocks a more distant object behind it.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026

As for an object to send across the universe, I had chosen what appeared to be a combat training ball that I found under a glass jar in the humans’ main parlor.

From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth

"And they could not see the object. With JWST, our entire observation took around two hours, and we were successful."

From Science Daily ● Jun. 28, 2026

"What is left is an inanimate object. Like all other objects, some people have no interest in this, some people think it's repulsive, but other people like them and they collect them."

From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026

“Your honor, I object. This case is not funny!” pleads the prosecutor amid the sweltering hilarity, but few appear to agree with him.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026

He hears anecdotally that “they are intrigued by the book as an object. They enjoy the tactility of it. They don’t just want an e-book.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2023

“And in his hand you saw an object. Is that correct?”

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

That difference has raised an important question: What happens to these mysterious objects as the universe grows older?

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

Manuela Barrios, a volunteer psychologist in Limonar, said the recovered objects help survivors "preserve the memory."

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

It gives him the ability to fly and to manifest objects at will, most often a protective green bubble, but also a bottle opener and a $10 bill.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Short sentences matter-of-factly describe objects in each room—a chair, a table, a lamp—but when the ghost from the cover reappears, its presence goes unremarked upon.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

But today everything stopped for a moment when a stooped-over worker digging with a shovel unearthed some bronze amulets and other ancient objects.

From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman

Reddit determined that these users were engaged in protected activity under the First Amendment and objected to each, the person said, and DHS eventually withdrew the requests.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

At a June 25 contempt hearing, Jonathan Robbins, a Justice Department lawyer, said they objected to the order regarding personal phones, stating that those “are not in our custody and control.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

A Florida English professor is suing her former public college, alleging she was fired after its president objected to an award-winning short story she assigned in a freshman literature course.

From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026

There are rules about such patrols, including having police officers present, so Ogdansky objected.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

“I didn’t know that I was going to have to eat my words,” objected Milo.

From "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster

Rea said that the defence will be objecting to that.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

Daniels has been criticized on social media for objecting to Pickett wearing No. 5, primarily because Burrows led LSU to a national title while Daniels did not.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

Ruth said her brothers are objecting and have threatened to sue Ruth over their potential inheritance and custody of the remains.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026

While objecting to the subpoenas in court, the company simultaneously convinced the DOJ to drop the case, he said.

From Salon ● Jun. 10, 2026

I don’t bother objecting to her makeover attempts anymore.

From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth

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