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.
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aim
1 American
[eym]
/ eɪm /
verb (used with object)
-
aims,
present (3rd person singular)
-
aimed,
past participle, past
-
aiming
present participle
-
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.
- Synonyms:
- point
-
to intend or direct for a particular effect or purpose.
to aim a satire at snobbery.
verb (used without object)
-
aims,
present (3rd person singular)
-
aimed,
past participle, past
-
aiming
present participle
-
to point or direct a gun, punch, etc., toward.
He aimed at the target but missed it.
-
to strive; try (usually followed by to orat ).
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
-
aims
plural
-
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.
idioms
AIM
2
American
[eym]
/ eɪm /
noun
aim
1
British
/ 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 intend
we 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
AIM
2
British
abbreviation
aim
More Idioms
Synonym Usage
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 Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
aimernoun
-
underaimnoun
-
misaimverb
-
underaimverb
-
aimfuladjective
-
unaimedadjective
-
unaimingadjective
-
well-aimedadjective
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aimfullyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
aimsimple
-
aimssimple
-
have aimedperfect
-
has aimedperfect
-
am aimingprogressive
-
are aimingprogressive
-
is aimingprogressive
-
have been aimingperfect progressive
-
has been aimingperfect progressive
Past
-
aimedsimple
-
had aimedperfect
-
was aimingprogressive
-
were aimingprogressive
-
had been aimingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of aim
First recorded in 1275–1325; late Middle English aimen, from Anglo-French a(e)smer, eimer, from Old French aesmer, from Vulgar Latin adaestimāre (unrecorded), equivalent to Latin ad- ad- ( def. ) + aestimāre ( see estimate ( def. )); replacing Middle English amen, from Old French (dialectal) amer, from Latin aestimāre
Explanation
If you wad up a piece of paper and line up a shot at a wastebasket, you are taking aim. If instead, the paper bounces off your teacher's head, then your aim was way off. A purpose or goal is an aim. When you were little, your aim might have been to be a famous astronaut, a movie star, or a police officer. As a verb, aim means to intend, try, or aspire. You may aim to take your dog for three walks every day, but your fenced-in yard tends to make both of you lazy.
Vocabulary lists containing aim
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:
Lampard hopes this victory could be a key staging post in a campaign where avoiding relegation will be the main aim.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
She wants to encourage more women to aim for senior leadership roles in manufacturing and engineering sector.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
In their view, the fears are overblown, and Coxon’s resignation has been a tool to accomplish that aim, promoted by some in the effective-altruism movement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
The French presidency said the aim of the Paris talks was to review a Lebanese armed forces deployment plan based on a "clear, credible and realistic" framework.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
"But my aim is not as good as yours, Grandma."
From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman
"By extending the compliance deadline, the EPA is maintaining and even increasing demand in the market for existing refrigerants while supply continues to fall under the AIM Act."
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
The desk covers all stocks from the largest FTSE100s to the smallest AIM companies across the whole range of industries and subject matters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 19, 2026
He said he and Mr Bloom were regularly in London over the following months as they explored taking Pegasus public on the AIM market - part of the London Stock Exchange for growing companies.
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2025
Back then, AIM let you personalize your notification sound whenever you logged on or messaged someone.
From Slate ● Aug. 12, 2025
He’d been different ever since that first, and only, AIM conversation we’d had, over two weeks ago.
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
It also aims to help build a broader bioengineered, silicon-based materials ecosystem by connecting researchers, industry partners, policymakers, educators, and future innovators across multiple disciplines and sectors.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026
Pantoja aims to reclaim the belt he lost at UFC 331, with the main event beginning at 6 p.m. and streaming on Paramount+.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Mr. Mancall aims to show “how the territory that became America . . . reflected the experiences of millions of Indigenous women and men as well as Africans and Europeans.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
The site is central to a restoration programme that aims to boost this type of specialist habitat across the county.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
As he sat down ready to pronounce the Om, Siddhartha softly recited the verse: ”Om is the bow, the arrow is the soul, Brahman is the arrow’s goal At which one aims unflinchingly.”
From "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse
Discovery, amid new urgency for talks aimed at settling antitrust litigation brought by California Atty.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026
The new incentive is aimed at bringing back jobs for the industry’s editors, sound mixers, composers and visual effects artists.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Paramount is in advanced settlement talks with California officials aimed at resolving the antitrust lawsuit that stands in the way of the company’s $81 billion deal to acquire rival Warner Bros.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
On top of that, further rate hikes aimed at taming inflation also risk slowing down the economy.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
And when Grandma finally got her phone working, Dad aimed the camera at me so that she could watch.
From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller
With its current funding coming to an end, All Aboard Watersports has launched a Crowdfunder bid aiming to raise an initial £5,000 to help continue the project.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026
The City forward is the younger of two brothers at the club, with Tyrone also involved in the youth team, and will now be aiming to play more first-team minutes after an exciting debut.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
That sentiment is part of what Villegas is aiming to target as he meets voters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
For decades, cartoon canine Wile E. Coyote has been pursuing the speeding bird throughout the American Southwest, aiming to eat him and getting blown up in the process.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
He steered the trumpet through the curtains, far into the room, aiming it at the place where he knew the bed to be.
From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
