object 1 of 2

object

2 of 2

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
Place another clean, white towel on the area and weigh it down with a heavy object to press out any residual moisture. Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Apr. 2025 Contextual Consistency: Unlike DALL-E 3, which often struggled with maintaining character or object consistency across multiple images, 4o shows improved performance in serial generation. Gerui Wang, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
In May, Poppi settled for nearly $9 million a class-action lawsuit brought by a California woman who objected to the company’s health claims; Poppi did not acknowledge any fault, liability, or wrongdoing. Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2025 Nicklaus Companies objected to Nicklaus in licensing his IP to golf tournaments and allegedly rejecting use of his NIL in a potential video game. Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for object
Recent Examples of Synonyms for object
Noun
  • London-favorite items on the food menu include fish and chips and chicken tikka masala, served beside LA specials such as a California roll, tofu pho, tuna poke bowl, and California fig salad.
    Nina Ruggiero, Travel + Leisure, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The partners’ favorite items in the collection hint at the elasticity of their vision.
    Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This result is also consistent with other findings from the study such as enrollees’ satisfaction with care being similar between for-profit and nonprofit entities.
    Wayne Winegarden, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Editors’ Picks Some of those tools were used on Friday when China responded to Mr. Trump’s tariffs by putting 11 American companies on an unreliable entities list, and another 16 on an export control list.
    David Pierson, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The purpose of the show was to reach across the aisle and form connections between un-like-minded people.
    Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The remote Norwegian territories, both in the Arctic Ocean, are often mentioned together because of their geographical proximity and the fact that they are collectively designated by the International Organization for Standardization (for statistical purposes).
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Joni Auden Land/OPB Thousands of people participated in the Hands Off! demonstrations across the U.S. on Saturday to protest President Trump and Elon Musk's actions.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The American Dental Association sent letters to lawmakers to protest the ban, and some municipalities also fought it.
    Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • And also, thinking about thousands of others going through the same thing.
    Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • After the couple’s patient died, the last thing that Teddy wanted to do was discuss the fact that Owen had slept with someone else.
    Charlie Mason, TVLine, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Whalers also brought spermaceti, a waxy substance that comes from a sperm whale’s head and is used to produce candles and lubricants for precision machinery like watches and clocks.
    Austin Choi-Fitzpatrick, The Conversation, 4 Apr. 2025
  • But once Mulaney talked his wife Olivia Munn into giving him the cash because he’s not allowed to have more than $300 in cash due to his past issues with substance abuse, the manager then requested $100,000 and finally the Everybody’s Live crew began to notice the red flags.
    Angel Diaz, Billboard, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Be open to learning from experience, from customers and from the market itself, and adjust your goals, personality and identity as necessary.
    Sabine Leveiller, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The second of those was goal number two, another type of move that a back five is set up to defend against.
    Liam Tharme, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Pundits complained last year’s Cannes was a light affair, but that had to do with the bottleneck created by the strikes, for one.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The new plan arrives after many existing Claude subscribers complained of hitting rate limits frequently.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Object.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/object. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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