held goal

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "held goal" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to refer to a goal that has been established or maintained, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear. Example: "The team has held goal of increasing sales by 20% this quarter."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Not only have you successfully piloted through legislation to enable Scotland to take a major step towards the party's long held goal of 'Home Rule'.

The Guardian

Routine estimation of functional residual capacity (FRC) in ventilated patients has been a long held goal, with many methods previously proposed, but none have been used in routine clinical practice.

Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology

Comment 8. (C) Although media report that Tymoshenko -- by concluding this latest gas agreement -- has achieved her long held goal of removing RUE from Ukraine's energy sector, Gazprom could still retain the right to maintain its own contracts with the gas middleman.

The Guardian

Preparing students to participate in social and economic life after graduation is a widely held goal of economics instructors.

International Review of Economics Education

The findings of this study reinforce the importance of national maternity reform objectives to facilitate continuity of care [ 8], a long held goal for maternity care improvement [ 25].

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Doing so will allow us to address the long held goal in molecular and evolutionary biology of accurately quantifying the factors contributing to the evolution of CUB within a coding sequence and across a genome.

Genome Biology and Evolution

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

The issue, being raised around the country at a time that all 50 states have passed some form of sex-offender-notification law, shows a tension between two deeply held goals.

The New York Times

Some of the most frequently held goals in the sample were shared by Researchers, Researcher-Users and Users.

Heritage Science

He managed three goals each against Essendon and South Melbourne but was held goal-less against Melbourne.

Wikipedia

In a homogeneous culture, they are willing to pay higher taxes in order to achieve commonly held goals.

Huffington Post

At the same time, that narrow existence can actually prevent you from achieving your most deeply held goals.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of "held goal", use clearer and more grammatically sound alternatives like "achieved goal", "maintained objective", or "pursued target" depending on the context. This ensures your writing is easily understood and avoids confusion.

Common error

Avoid using "held goal" as it is not standard English. It's likely a misunderstanding or misuse of similar-sounding phrases. Opt for established expressions to maintain clarity and credibility in your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "held goal" attempts to combine the action of 'holding' with the noun 'goal', but it does not form a standard grammatical construction to express a clear meaning. Based on Ludwig AI, this phrase is not correct.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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News & Media

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "held goal" is deemed grammatically incorrect by Ludwig AI. While the intention might be to express the idea of possessing, achieving, or maintaining a goal, the phrase itself is non-standard and unclear. It's best to use alternative phrases like "achieved goal", "maintained objective", or "pursued target" for clarity. Given its lack of established usage and potential for misinterpretation, "held goal" should be avoided in formal writing. Remember to use alternative phrases to convey your meaning accurately.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

maintained objective

Focuses on the continuous effort to keep the objective.

achieved aim

Highlights the successful accomplishment of the aim.

pursued target

Emphasizes the active chase towards a specific target.

possessed ambition

Highlights that someone owns or holds an ambition

retained aspiration

Focuses on keeping an aspiration alive.

upheld principle

Highlights maintaining a principle

defended cause

Shows protect a cause

cherished dream

Emphasizes the emotional value and careful consideration of the dream.

embraced vision

Focuses on accepting the vision

harbored intention

Emphasizes privately nurturing an intention.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to the ungrammatical phrase "held goal"?

Instead of "held goal", consider using more appropriate phrases like "achieved goal", "maintained objective", or "pursued target" to convey your intended meaning clearly.

How can I use the idea of 'possessing a goal' correctly in a sentence?

To express 'possessing a goal', use phrases such as "having a goal", "setting a goal", or "pursuing a goal". For example, "She is having a goal of completing her degree this year" is grammatically sound.

What's wrong with saying someone "held a goal"?

The phrase "held a goal" is not idiomatic in English. It doesn't convey the intended meaning of pursuing, achieving, or maintaining a goal. Using alternative phrases ensures clarity and grammatical correctness.

Is there a context where "held goal" might be correct?

While generally incorrect, "held goal" could theoretically apply in a very specific, unusual context (e.g. in sports if the goal was physically held up somehow). However, in most general writing, it's best to avoid this phrase and use a more standard alternative.