intention

American  

[in-ten-shuhn] / ɪnˈtɛn ʃən /

noun

1. an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result.

2. the end or object intended; purpose.

   Synonyms:

   goal

3. intentions,

   1. purpose or attitude toward the effect of one's actions or conduct.

      a bungler with good intentions.

   2. purpose or attitude with respect to marriage.

      Our friends are beginning to ask what our intentions are.

4. the act or fact of intending.

5. Logic.

   1. Also called first intention,.  Also called primary intention.  reference by signs, concepts, etc., to concrete things, their properties, classes, or the relationships among them.

   2. Also called second intention,.  Also called secondary intention.  reference to properties, classes, or the relationships among first intentions.

6. Surgery, Medicine/Medical. a manner or process of healing, as in the healing of a lesion or fracture without granulation healing by first intention or the healing of a wound by granulation after suppuration healing by second intention.

7. meaning or significance.

   The intention of his words was clear.

8. the person or thing meant to benefit from a prayer or religious offering.

9. Archaic. intentness.

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intention British  

/ ɪnˈtɛnʃən /

noun

1. a purpose or goal; aim

   it is his intention to reform

2. law the resolve or design with which a person does or refrains from doing an act, a necessary ingredient of certain offences

3. med a natural healing process, as by first intention , in which the edges of a wound cling together with no tissue between, or by second intention , in which the wound edges adhere with granulation tissue

4. (usually plural) design or purpose with respect to a proposal of marriage (esp in the phrase honourable intentions )

5. an archaic word for meaning intentness

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Related Words

Intention, intent, purpose all refer to a wish that one means to carry out. Intention is the general word: His intention is good. Intent is chiefly legal or literary: attack with intent to kill. Purpose implies having a goal or determination to achieve something: Her strong sense of purpose is reflected in her studies.

Other Word Forms

• intentionless
  adjective
• misintention
  noun
• preintention
  noun
• subintention
  noun

Etymology

Origin of intention

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English intencio(u)n, from Latin intentiōn- (stem of intentiō ). See intent ², -ion

Explanation

An intention is idea that you plan (or intend) to carry out. If you mean something, it's an intention. Your goal, purpose, or aim is your intention. It's something you mean to do, whether you pull it off or not. You may have the best intention of cooking an incredible meal, but if you leave the burner on and burn the house down, you will not be remembered as an excellent chef. When a father asks his daughter's boyfriend "What are your intentions?" that means something specific: Does he want to marry her?

Example Sentences

The nation of three million people bordering Iran and Turkey passed a law last year formally declaring its intention to apply for EU membership.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

And the biggest spenders in AI just signaled their intention to spend even more.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

But regardless of the intention, Fairhope miscalculated in prosecuting Gamble.

From Slate • May 4, 2026

Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said the intention was "to maintain business connectivity during the crisis".

From BBC • May 2, 2026

By the end of the summer, he declared his intention to make the eradication of poverty a key legislative objective in 1964.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Related Words

• aim
• hope
• motive
• objective
• plan
• purpose