a tentative goal

USAGE SUMMARY

"a tentative goal" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a goal or objective that is not certain or definite. For example, "We have established a tentative goal to reduce emissions by 10% by the end of the year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Southold is focusing on about 10,000 acres of undeveloped land, which is primarily farmland, and has a tentative goal of preserving 8,500 to 8,800 acres of that land.

The New York Times

Founders Institute graduates have been 16% female to date ("this beats the average, but quite frankly the average sucks"), and Ressi has a tentative goal of increasing it 30% by the end of the year, wanting to launch 175 female-led technology companies in 2011.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The tentative goal is reportedly sometime in June, though they may not have anything set in stone in time for WWDC.

TechCrunch

Some tentative goals include eliminating overfishing, preventing extinctions, and setting aside 15% of the land and sea as protected areas.

Science Magazine

In interactive approaches [35], DMs need to provide a goal point for a tentative efficient solution in each iteration.

Complex & Intelligent Systems

A secondary goal is to provide a tentative framework within which to understand the reported results the Linguistic Niche Hypothesis which provides a nomothetic account for understanding relationships between linguistic and social structure (Text S3).

Plosone

The president finally answered me with a tentative, "We want to tell them that we met our goal to increase market share by eightpercentt.

Huffington Post

After a tentative first period, the Stars opened the scoring on a power-play goal from Joe Nieuwendyk at 7 minutes 58 seconds of the second.

The New York Times - Sports

The game's greatest player worked his way into the game after a tentative start, finishing with a team-high 31 possessions and kicking three goals despite wearing a tight tag by Ben Jacobs for most of the game.

The Guardian - Sport

In respect to cutting carbon dioxide emissions, the summit did not produce clear goals for the post-Kyoto Protocol era, but it did achieve a tentative agreement on cutting carbon dioxide emissions in half by 2050.

Encyclopedia Britannica

After the U.A.W. announced a tentative contract with General Motors last week, it was widely expected to focus on Chrysler next with the goal of striking a more lucrative deal with Ford by leaving that company last.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a tentative goal", ensure that the surrounding context clearly indicates the reasons for the uncertainty or lack of definiteness. This provides clarity and avoids misinterpretations.

Common error

Avoid treating "a tentative goal" as a fixed target. Continuously re-evaluate and adjust it based on new information or changing circumstances to maintain flexibility and responsiveness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a tentative goal" functions as a noun phrase, where "tentative" modifies the noun "goal". As evidenced by Ludwig, it describes an objective that is not yet firmly established or finalized. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a tentative goal" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe an objective that is not yet fixed or certain. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's correct and appropriate for use in written English. Ludwig's examples show it appears in news, media, and science contexts, suggesting a neutral formality level. When using this phrase, ensure the context clarifies the reasons for the goal's uncertainty. While "a tentative goal" may signal that an objective isn't definitive, users should be wary of treating it as final and inflexible. Alternatives such as "a preliminary objective" or "a provisional aim" can be used to convey a similar meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a preliminary objective

Replaces "goal" with "objective" and "tentative" with "preliminary", emphasizing the initial stage of the objective.

a provisional aim

Substitutes "goal" with "aim" and "tentative" with "provisional", highlighting the conditional nature of the aim.

an initial target

Replaces "tentative goal" with "initial target", underscoring that the target may change as the situation evolves.

a working hypothesis

Suggests the goal is more of a testable idea than a fixed objective.

a projected outcome

Emphasizes that the goal is based on projections and is subject to change.

a planned milestone

Replaces "tentative goal" with planned milestone, emphasizing its role in a larger project or plan.

a speculative target

Highlights the uncertain and exploratory nature of the target.

an experimental objective

Suggests the objective is part of an experiment and not definitively set.

a trial balloon

Implies the goal is being floated as a test to gauge reaction or feasibility.

a notional objective

Suggests the objective is theoretical or conceptual, and not yet practical.

FAQs

How can I use "a tentative goal" in a sentence?

You can use "a tentative goal" when describing an objective that is not yet finalized or certain. For example, "The team has set "a tentative goal" to increase sales by 5% next quarter, but this may change based on market conditions."

What are some alternatives to "a tentative goal"?

Alternatives include "a preliminary objective", "a provisional aim", or "an initial target". These phrases convey a similar sense of uncertainty or lack of finality.

Is it appropriate to use "a tentative goal" in formal writing?

Yes, it is appropriate, especially when you need to acknowledge that a goal is subject to change. However, be sure to provide context about why the goal is tentative to avoid ambiguity.

What does it mean for a goal to be "tentative"?

A "tentative" goal means it is provisional, not fully formed, or subject to change. It's an objective that is set with the understanding that it may be adjusted or replaced as more information becomes available.