The paper is based on the study of goal-setting stages in the semantics of the notion ‘goal’. The aim is via dictionaries and BigData to identify the content of lexemes expressing the notion of goal in reference to the stages of speech activity organization. The English language explanatory dictionaries and BigData systems were applied. ‘Goal’ is viewed as a key element of speech activity. The leading method of componential analysis combined with the sampling method, definitional analysis, semasiological and onomasiological analyses and method of quantitative data processing resulted in identifying the range of lexemes conveying the meaning of goal, the semes of the beginning, development and result in their meaning demonstrating the components of speech activity functioning at its preverbal stage.