goal

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/ɡoʊl/
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An aim reached through effort, a sports target or score, a finishing point, and in technical grammar the receiver of an action.
Practice using goal in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Her first goal for the club came from a corner.
  • She goals regularly from long range.
  • Saving enough for a deposit became their shared goal.
  • The team set a realistic goal for the launch.
  • The referee disallowed the goal for offside.

Similar words

finish
hoop
endpoint
intention
score
objective
target
score
frame
point

Meanings

Desired result

noun
everyday
neutral
Something a person, group, or system hopes to achieve through effort.

Examples

  • Her main goal is to finish the degree this year.
  • The team set a realistic goal for the launch.
  • Saving enough for a deposit became their shared goal.
  • The policy’s goal is to cut waste without reducing service.
  • He reached his goal after months of steady training.

Similar words

aim
objective
target
purpose
intention
ambition
aspiration

Scoring area

noun
sports
neutral
The frame, net, basket, line, or marked area that a ball or puck must enter or cross for a score.

Examples

  • The ball rolled slowly into the empty goal.
  • Fans behind the goal waved flags throughout the match.
  • The shot struck the side of the goal and bounced away.
  • A defender cleared the puck from the mouth of the goal.
  • The children used two coats as a goal in the park.

Similar words

net
target
frame
posts
basket
hoop

Score in a game

noun
sports
neutral
A successful scoring action, or the point credited when a ball or puck reaches the goal.

Examples

  • The striker scored the winning goal in stoppage time.
  • United conceded two goals before half-time.
  • The referee disallowed the goal for offside.
  • Her first goal for the club came from a corner.
  • The late goal kept their season alive.

Similar words

score
point
marker
strike
finish

Endpoint to reach

noun
games
neutral
The place or line that marks where a race, journey, or game movement is meant to finish.

Examples

  • The riders could see the goal at the end of the course.
  • In the playground game, the tree served as the safe goal.
  • The racers reached the goal just before sunset.
  • Flags marked the goal at the far edge of the field.
  • The final hill hid the goal from view.

Similar words

finish
endpoint
destination
target
terminus

Receiver of an action

noun
linguistics
technical
In grammar and linguistics, the participant that an action is directed toward or that receives its effect.

Examples

  • In the clause “I gave Mira the keys,” Mira is the goal.
  • Some analyses treat the recipient of a transfer verb as the goal.
  • The goal role contrasts with the source role in motion events.
  • A prepositional phrase can mark the goal of movement.
  • The lecture distinguished agent, theme, source, and goal.

Similar words

recipient
target
undergoer

Score a goal

verb
sports
technical
To score a goal, especially in sports such as Gaelic football or Australian rules football.

Examples

  • The midfielder goaled from a tight angle.
  • He goaled twice before the final siren.
  • The team needed a forward who could goal under pressure.
  • She goals regularly from long range.
  • After the turnover, the captain goaled within seconds.

Similar words

score
convert

Etymology

From Middle English gol, meaning a boundary or limit. Its deeper origin is uncertain, with possible links to old words for an obstacle, passage, pole, or stake. The sports and figurative senses were both established by the sixteenth century.

FAQ

What does goal mean?

Goal most often means something someone wants to achieve, or a score or target area in a sport.

Is goal a noun or a verb?

Goal is mainly a noun. It can also be a rare sports verb meaning to score a goal.

What is the difference between a goal and an objective?

A goal is often a broader or longer-term aim, while an objective is usually more specific and measurable.

What does goal mean in sports?

In sports, a goal can be the target area, the act of scoring, or the point awarded for scoring.

Can goal mean the end of a race?

Yes. Goal can mean the endpoint or place to be reached in a race, journey, or game.

What does goal mean in grammar?

In grammar, a goal is the participant toward which an action is directed, such as the recipient in a giving event.

Where does goal come from?

Goal comes from Middle English gol, meaning a boundary or limit, though its deeper origin is uncertain.

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