object 1 of 2

object

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun object contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of object are aim, design, end, goal, intention, intent, objective, and purpose. While all these words mean "what one intends to accomplish or attain," object may equal end but more often applies to a more individually determined wish or need.

his constant object was the achievement of pleasure

Where would aim be a reasonable alternative to object?

While in some cases nearly identical to object, aim adds to these implications of effort directed toward attaining or accomplishing.

her aim was to raise film to an art form

When is it sensible to use design instead of object?

Although the words design and object have much in common, design implies a more carefully calculated plan.

the order of events came by accident, not design

When might end be a better fit than object?

The synonyms end and object are sometimes interchangeable, but end stresses the intended effect of action often in distinction or contrast to the action or means as such.

willing to use any means to achieve his end

When can goal be used instead of object?

The meanings of goal and object largely overlap; however, goal suggests something attained only by prolonged effort and hardship.

worked years to reach her goals

When could intent be used to replace object?

While the synonyms intent and object are close in meaning, intent suggests clearer formulation or greater deliberateness.

the clear intent of the statute

In what contexts can intention take the place of object?

The words intention and object can be used in similar contexts, but intention implies little more than what one has in mind to do or bring about.

announced his intention to marry

When is objective a more appropriate choice than object?

In some situations, the words objective and object are roughly equivalent. However, objective implies something tangible and immediately attainable.

their objective is to seize the oil fields

When would purpose be a good substitute for object?

The words purpose and object are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, purpose suggests a more settled determination.

being successful was her purpose in life

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of object
Noun
Your provider may also recommend not lifting heavy objects for 24 hours after the test. Suchandrima Bhowmik, Health, 21 Feb. 2025 Before dawn Wednesday, the sky across northern Europe was illuminated by an object zooming through the air in flames. Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2025
Verb
Hippler also ruled against other defense motions that objected to the way warrants were issued in the case and that sought to suppress data obtained from Kohberger's cellphone and his Apple, Amazon and Google accounts. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025 Among them, Meta’s Threads got off to a fast start but has since faced pushback from people objecting to Zuckerberg’s MAGA makeover. Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for object
Recent Examples of Synonyms for object
Noun
  • Scientists don’t think microplastics can leach through the skin, so items like lotion and shampoo aren’t likely causes.
    Kaitlin Sullivan, Health, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Only meet when a decision needs to be made or when it can be concluded with clear action items.
    Lieke ten Brummelhuis, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Translated, the more dollars that any entity is expected to collect in the future, the easier that entity will find borrowing.
    John Tamny, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
  • The United States has imposed a fresh round of sanctions on six entities based in Hong Kong and China, accusing them of involvement in an Iranian drone procurement network.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The crucial difference from last season is his belief in his own abilities to alter events to his own purposes.
    Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Kennedy also claimed the reason the children were hospitalized was for quarantine purposes.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • About 300 demonstrators protested at a Tesla dealership in New York City on Saturday.
    Rodrique Ngowi and Jonathan J. Cooper, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Students at the Pensacola campus have protested Yenor.
    Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • But ignorance is also power if not knowing certain things or leaving certain things unexamined permit you to continue in your life and not be paralyzed.
    Sean Illing, Vox, 22 Feb. 2025
  • As lethal injection drugs have become harder to obtain, states with the death penalty have looked to expand their methods to things like firing squads and nitrogen gas, which was first used in the U.S. in January 2024 in Alabama with the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith.
    Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • This breakdown in the barrier then lets in outside substances and microbes, and the immune system goes wild.
    Alison Escalante, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
  • The trouble with dark matter Dark matter is the name scientists have given to the mysterious substance that accounts for around 85% of the universe's total matter content.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • These three countries host large deposits of several minerals critical to the U.S., for America's economic and geopolitical goals.
    John Feng, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
  • The 30-year-old defenseman, selected fourth overall in the 2013 NHL draft (two picks after the Panthers selected Aleksander Barkov) has 97 goals and 432 points over his 12-year NHL career.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 2 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • For nothing is more European, at least in today’s Europe, than being bullied by Russia while complaining about the United States.
    Dominic Green, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Meanwhile, in China's increasingly insular online environment, Chinese nationalists are openly complaining about the 19th century loss of territory in what is now Russia's Far East.
    Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Object.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/object. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.

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