on target

1 of 2

phrase

Synonyms of on targetnext
: precisely correct or valid especially in interpreting or addressing a problem or vital issue

on-target

2 of 2

adjective

on-tar·​get ˈän-ˈtär-gət How to pronounce on-target (audio)
ˈȯn-
: exactly appropriate : accurate
on-target advice

Synonyms of on target

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Adjective

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Examples of on target in a Sentence

Adjective an economic forecast for three percent growth that turned out to be entirely on-target
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Phrase
Inside just five days in April, Parkinson’s side had lost 5-1 at home to Southampton and then 2-0 at Birmingham City, the latter such a flat performance that Wrexham failed to muster even one shot on target. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026 The budding rivalry game’s intense box-to-box energy tended to fizzle inside the 18, as the two sides combined for one shot on target through 45 minutes, plus another three by the final whistle. — Josh Gross, Daily News, 16 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The same cannot be said, however, for DeMario Douglas, who has caught every on-target pass he’s seen this summer. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 1 Aug. 2026 SpaceX was more than lucky last Friday, sending its 13th full-scale Starship test flight halfway around the world from South Texas to an on-target, intact splashdown in a remote section of the Indian Ocean. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for on target

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1967, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of on target was in 1967

Rhymes for on target

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Browse Nearby Words

on tap
on target
on-target
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Cite this Entry

“On target.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20target. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

on-target

adjective
on-tar·​get
ˈȯn-ˈtär-gət, 
ˈän-
: just right : accurate
gave him on-target advice
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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