Goal is a noun meaning the object or aim that a person or group strives to achieve, or the result or endpoint of an action or process. It can also denote a scoring point in sports. The term emphasizes intention and outcome, often used in planning, motivation, and evaluation contexts.
"Her goal is to run a marathon before she turns 40."
"The team's goal for this season is to win the league."
"She finally reached her career goal after years of hard work."
"We discussed our long-term goals and the steps to achieve them."
Goal derives from the Old French word go, meaning ‘boundary, limit,’ which itself traces to a Germanic root related to turning or going toward something. In Middle English it appeared as goal or gole, initially referring to a boundary or limit, and later to a mark to be achieved. In sports, the sense expanded to indicate the scoring end or point, later generalized to mean an objective in various domains. The modern sense of a desired outcome or target solidified in the 19th and 20th centuries as organizations and individuals formalized goal-setting practices. The word’s semantic journey tracks from physical boundary connotations to abstract objectives, reflecting the broader human shift from space-bound limits to aspirational endpoints.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Goal" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Goal" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Goal"
-ole sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce it as /ɡoʊl/ in US and /ɡəʊl/ in UK/AU. Start with a hard g, then a rounded back vowel that glides from /o/ to /ʊ/ or /oʊ/, and finish with the clear l. The syllable contains one primary vowel sound with a long diphthong, and the final /l/ is light but audible. Practice by saying 'go' with an added final l sound.
A common error is dropping the final /l/, saying /ɡoʊ/ or /ɡəʊ/ without the L join. Another is substituting /ɡɔl/ or a shorter /o/ vowel due to non-rhotic habits. To correct: ensure your tongue touches the alveolar ridge for the /l/ and finish with a clear, light contact of the tongue tip to the ridge while keeping the /oː/ glide intact.
US tends to use /ɡoʊl/ with a prominent /oʊ/ diphthong and a rhotic, clear /r/ absence is irrelevant here; UK/AU use /ɡəʊl/ with a more centralized or rounded onset and a less pronounced glide, sometimes shortening to /ɡɔːl/ in some accents. Australian English often sits between, with a slightly flatter /o/ and less rounding. Overall, rhoticity is not the key; vowel quality and diphthong timing are.
The difficulty centers on the final /l/ in many dialects and the precise diphthong timing. The /oʊ/ (or /əʊ/) requires a controlled glide from mid-back to high-back vowel while maintaining lip-rounding. The light, alveolar /l/ can blend with the vowel, especially in fast speech. Keeping the tongue tip on the alveolar ridge and releasing the vowel into a clean /l/ is essential.
Note that your mouth starts with a rounded lip posture for the /oʊ/ glide, then your tongue shifts toward the alveolar ridge for the /l/. Keep the /l/ light and not syllabic, and avoid a sudden stop after the vowel. Practicing with a vocal break before the /l/ can help stabilize the final consonant.
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