How Do You Spell GOAL?

Pronunciation: [ɡˈə͡ʊl] (IPA)

The spelling of the word "goal" is relatively straightforward, consisting of only four letters. However, the pronunciation can vary depending on regional accents. In IPA phonetic transcription, the word is pronounced /ɡoʊl/, with the first syllable pronounced as "go" and the second syllable pronounced as "al." This transcription indicates a long "o" sound, which is pronounced similarly to the vowel sound in "boat." Overall, the spelling and pronunciation of "goal" are relatively easy to understand and remember.

GOAL Meaning and Definition

  1. A goal is a specific desired outcome or objective that an individual or organization aims to achieve. It serves as a focal point that guides actions, decision-making, and efforts towards accomplishing a desired result. Goals can be short-term or long-term and are often set to enhance personal growth, success, or productivity.

    In personal contexts, goals can relate to various aspects of life, such as career, education, health, relationships, finances, or personal development. They serve as a vision or target that helps individuals measure progress and work steadily towards self-improvement or attainment of desires. By setting goals, individuals can create a sense of purpose, motivation, and direction in their lives, which aids in overcoming obstacles and achieving milestones.

    In organizational contexts, goals are essential as they provide direction for teamwork and coordination to achieve desired outcomes. They help employees align their efforts towards a common purpose, fostering collaboration and boosting productivity. Setting and clarifying organizational goals also assists in effective resource allocation, decision-making, and evaluation of performance.

    Furthermore, goals should be SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. The specificity of a goal helps to define the desired outcome clearly, while measurability enables tracking progress and identifying success. Achievability ensures that the goal is realistic and attainable, relevance ensures its alignment with long-term objectives, and time-bound sets a deadline for completion, adding urgency and accountability.

    Overall, goals play a fundamental role in personal and professional contexts, serving as a roadmap towards success, self-improvement, or desired outcomes.

  2. The winning-post at football or on a racecourse; final purpose or aim.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for GOAL *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for GOAL

Etymology of GOAL

The word "goal" originated from the Old English word "gǣlan", meaning "boundary" or "limit". The word later evolved in Middle English to "gale", which referred to both the physical boundary or limit as well as the object of a person's ambition or desire. Over time, "gale" transformed into "goal" in modern English, still retaining the meaning of an objective or purpose that one aims to attain.

Idioms with the word GOAL

  • move the goal The idiom "move the goal" typically means to change the rules or criteria necessary to achieve a goal or succeed in a certain endeavor, usually in an unfair or arbitrary manner. It refers to altering the established standards or targets, making it difficult for someone to achieve or gain success as initially intended.
  • fall short of goal The idiom "fall short of goal" means to not reach or achieve the desired objective or target. It refers to falling or coming up inadequately or insufficiently in accomplishing a particular goal or expectation.
  • fall short of one's goal(s) The idiom "fall short of one's goal(s)" means to not achieve or reach one's intended objective or desired outcome. It implies that the individual or group has not been successful in meeting the specific target they set for themselves.
  • move the goal line The idiom "move the goal line" refers to changing or adjusting the criteria, standards, or expectations of a situation or endeavor in order to make it more difficult to achieve success or satisfy the requirements. It implies altering the rules or objectives to hinder progress or challenge someone further.
  • score an own goal The idiom "score an own goal" refers to a situation where someone unintentionally or mistakenly does something that harms their own interests or causes a disadvantage to themselves or their own team, typically in a figurative sense. It originates from the sport of football (soccer), wherein scoring a goal against one's own team is considered a mistake and puts the opposing team in an advantageous position.
  • an own goal The idiom "an own goal" refers to a figurative action or decision that unintentionally harms one's own interests or goals. It originates from soccer (football), where an own goal occurs when a player accidentally scores a goal for the opposing team, instead of their own team, resulting in a disadvantage for their own side. In a broader context, an own goal represents an inadvertent self-sabotaging action or mistake that undermines one's own progress or objectives.

Similar spelling words for GOAL

Plural form of GOAL is GOALS

Infographic

Add the infographic to your website: