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.
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
-
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:
The firms aim to deploy over $500 billion of outside capital in the coming years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
The front page of the Daily Star takes aim at the cost of an ice cream this summer.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Many people aim to keep six to 12 months’ worth of living expenses in a liquid account, such as a high-yield savings account.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 8, 2026
The aim is to manage relations between countries over the long term to maintain stability and predictability; it’s not a “winner take all” proposition.
From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026
Happy cherubs take aim at grinning couples, and children laugh and dance.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
Its pubs and bars will stay open through the process, but it has been suspended from trading on London's junior AIM stock exchange.
From BBC ● Jan. 26, 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
“Volume growth was driven by stronger demand for Opteon…in connection with the stationary air conditioning…transition under the U.S. AIM Act,” said the company.
From Barron's ● Nov. 7, 2025
Or, more accurately, I’d stare at my AIM window until she finally logged on and I messaged her first.
From Slate ● Aug. 12, 2025
AIM was how I figured we’d do most of our talking tonight.
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
The company also said it aims to create new opportunities for local artists and broaden access to live theater.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
The Awen Project aims to give children an environment "where they feel championed to be themselves and follow their passions as active participants in a democratic community".
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
The government's early release scheme aims to address a severe overcrowding crisis in jails, where useable capacity is almost at 100%.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
In “The Lost Empire of Emanuel Nobel,” Douglas Brunt aims to restore the Nobels “to their rightful place in world history.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
Hot Pie was kneading bread, his aims floured iq» to his elbows.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
California accused Paramount of "blackmail" on Tuesday over a reported threat to pull the company out of the state because of lawsuits aimed at stopping its mega-merger with Warner Bros.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
The pied-à-terre tax is aimed at homes worth $5 million or more and co-ops and condos worth $1 million or more where the owner isn’t a primary resident.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
China presents another dynamic; it has ample refining capacity but government export quotas aimed at shoring up domestic energy security have limited overseas sales of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
The government has introduced a number of measures aimed at increasing apprenticeship opportunities and helping more young people access training.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
“They aimed at wounding more than Harriet,” said he.
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
It wriggles back into the streets aiming for friends, tunes, food.
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
He is now aiming to raise £75,000 to share between the four charities, after beating and increasing his fundraising goal multiple times across the challenge.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
You start aiming to improve words read, which in turn moves you away from what actually matters: a kid who loves reading books.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
Stafford and Adams are aiming for a celebratory postgame exchange if the Rams once again reach the NFC championship.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
His arm stretched, and he grasped the Time Suck’s tail, yanking himself away from Sheed’s grasp while aiming the camera at him.
From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles
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.
