in one's sights

prepositional phrase

Being seen or targeted, often through the sights of a weapon.

“The pilot had the enemy plane in his sights.”

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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. literallyBeing seen or targeted, often through the sights of a weapon.

    The pilot had the enemy plane in his sights.

  2. figurativelyBeing the target or object of one's efforts or ambitions.

    All through medical school she kept her dream of being a doctor in her sights.

  3. figurativelyStill achievable.

    With a win in the semifinals, the championship remained firmly in their sights.

    1 more example

    But Chelsea, who left Didier Drogba on the bench as coach Carlo Ancelotti favoured Fernando Torres, staged a stirring fightback to move up to fourth and keep United in their sights on a night when nothing other than victory would have kept the Blues in contention.

    2011 March 1, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 2 - 1 Man Utd”, in BBC
Cite this entry
APA

in one's sights. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20one's%20sights

MLA

“in one's sights.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20one's%20sights. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in one's sights,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20one's%20sights.

Source: in one's sights on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.