intentionality

American  

[in-ten-shuh-nal-i-tee] / ɪnˌtɛn ʃəˈnæl ɪ ti /

noun

1. the fact or quality of being done on purpose or with intent.

   The author’s choice here may not have been intentionally racially charged, but discrimination and prejudice are often not rooted in intentionality.

2. an attitude of purposefulness, with a commitment to deliberate action.

   “Active hope” is a practice that does not require optimism; instead, it requires intentionality.

3. Metaphysics.

   1. the capacity of the mind to refer to an existent or nonexistent object.

      The mind has intentionality as it is directed toward something it affirms, desires, loves, or hates; but the something is not necessarily real.

   2. (said of consciousness or a sign) the fact or property of pointing beyond itself.

      We relate to the world through intentionality—the capacity of consciousness to be about states of affairs outside itself.

---

Etymology

Origin of intentionality

First recorded in 1610–20; from Medieval Latin intentiōnālitās, equivalent to intentional ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

Example Sentences

Elaborating further, emphasizing his disregard for intentionality, he wrote: “It chooses you. . . . Taste is the enemy of art.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

By summarizing the life you’ve lived so far and the life you want to have from now on, you add meaning and intentionality to your days.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

“The way I think about it is really intentionality on the consumer side. It’s like, ‘OK, wait, I still want a cute outfit for spring, but I go from $30 to now $10 budget.

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

Another one is to have really good intentionality around what you’re doing on your devices.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2026

Here it is that "intentionality" and "consciousness" come in.

From The World's Greatest Books — Volume 14 — Philosophy and Economics by Hammerton, John Alexander, Sir