Meaning & use
aim
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Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
To point a weapon, camera or object toward a target, or to throw or kick something in a chosen direction.
Grammar: Often with at: aim the ball at the goal, or aim carefully.
Patterns
- aim something at someone
- aim at something
- aim for something
She aimed the arrow at the center of the target.
The goalkeeper aimed his kick toward the far corner.
Aim carefully before you throw the dart.
verbintransitive
To try to achieve something, or plan to do it, with a goal in mind.
Grammar: Takes to plus a verb or for plus a noun: aim to win, aim for first place.
Patterns
- aim to do something
- aim for something
- aim at doing something
We aim to finish the project by Friday.
The team is aiming for a place in the final.
He always aims high when he sets his goals.
verbtransitive
To design or intend something for a particular group or purpose.
Grammar: Usually passive with at: the show is aimed at teenagers.
Patterns
- aim something at someone
- be aimed at someone
The campaign is aimed at young voters.
The book is aimed at beginners.
His remarks were aimed at the manager, not at you.
nouncountable
What someone hopes to achieve; a purpose or intended result.
Grammar: Often with of or the verb be: the aim of the course is to teach basic skills.
Patterns
- the aim of something
- with the aim of doing something
The main aim of the meeting is to agree on a budget.
She moved abroad with the aim of learning Spanish.
Our aim is to make healthy food affordable.
Word forms
| third person singular | aims |
|---|---|
| past tense | aimed |
| past participle | aimed |
| -ing form | aiming |
| plural | aims |
Common combinations
- aim high
- Aim high; you may surprise yourself.
- take aim
- The archer took aim and let the arrow fly.
- main aim
- The main aim of this study is to test a new drug.
- aim to please
- The waiters aim to please every customer.
- achieve an aim
- They achieved their aim of raising ten thousand dollars.
- aimed at
- The ad was aimed at busy parents.
Synonyms and how they differ
- point
- Point is the plain word for turning something toward a target, while aim implies you are trying to hit it.
- intend
- Intend only expresses a plan, whereas aim suggests you are also working toward the target.
- goal
- Goal is a noun for the end result, and is often more concrete or personal than the more general aim.
- objective
- Objective sounds more formal and is typical in business, the military and reports.
Word family
Commonly confused: aim or aim for / aim at?
aim vs aim for / aim at
Aim at is used with a target or doing something, while aim for is used with a result: aim at the target, aim for success.
Practice
We ______ to reduce waste by half this year.
Choose one answer.
Aim to plus a verb means to try to do something. Intent and goal are nouns, and target is not followed by to plus a verb in this way.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “aim”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.