deliberate

American  

[dih-lib-er-it, dih-lib-uh-reyt] / dɪˈlɪb ər ɪt, dɪˈlɪb əˌreɪt /

adjective

1. carefully weighed or considered; studied; intentional.

   a deliberate lie.

   Synonyms:

   willful, purposive, conscious

   Antonyms:

   accidental

2. characterized by deliberation or cautious consideration; careful or slow in deciding.

   Moving away from the city and all its advantages required a deliberate decision.

   Synonyms:

   cautious, circumspect, thoughtful, methodical

   Antonyms:

   rash, precipitate, impulsive

3. leisurely and steady in movement or action; slow and even; unhurried.

   moving with a deliberate step.

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verb (used with object)

deliberated, deliberating

1. to weigh in the mind; consider.

   to deliberate a question.

   Synonyms:

   ponder

verb (used without object)

deliberated, deliberating

1. to think carefully or attentively; reflect.

   She deliberated for a long time before giving her decision.

   Synonyms:

   ruminate, cogitate

2. to consult or confer formally.

   The jury deliberated for three hours.

deliberate British  

adjective

1. carefully thought out in advance; planned; studied; intentional

   a deliberate insult

2. careful or unhurried in speech or action

   a deliberate pace

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verb

1. to consider (something) deeply; ponder; think over

Related Words

Deliberate, intentional, premeditated, voluntary refer to something not happening by chance. Deliberate is applied to what is done not hastily but with full realization of what one is doing: a deliberate attempt to evade justice. Intentional is applied to what is definitely intended or done on purpose: an intentional omission. Premeditated is applied to what has been planned in advance: a premeditated crime. Voluntary is applied to what is done by a definite exercise of the will and not because of outward pressures: a voluntary enlistment. See slow.

Other Word Forms

• deliberately adverb
• deliberateness noun
• deliberator noun
• nondeliberate adjective
• nondeliberateness noun
• overdeliberate verb
• overdeliberateness noun
• predeliberate verb (used with object)
• quasi-deliberate adjective
• redeliberate verb
• undeliberate adjective
• undeliberateness noun
• undeliberating adjective
• undeliberatingly adverb
• well-deliberated adjective

Etymology

Origin of deliberate

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin dēlīberātus (past participle of dēlīberāre “to consider”), equivalent to dē- “from, away from” + līber(āre) “to balance, weigh” (derivative of lībra “balance, scales”) + -ātus past participle suffix; see de-, -ate ¹

Explanation

To deliberate means to carefully think or talk something through — it also means slow and measured, the pace of this kind of careful decision making. If you chose deliberately, you make a very conscious, well-thought-through choice. The verb deliberate ends with an "ate" sound — at the end of a trial, after the evidence is presented, the twelve members of a jury retreat to a room to deliberate, i.e., talk through the trial and come to a verdict. The adjective deliberate ends with an "it" sound. If you walk with a deliberate pace, you're slow and steady.

Example Sentences

While Jobs could often be dismissive of ideas, Cook established a reputation for a more cautious, accessible and deliberate approach.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

The deliberate demolition of structures is not a new Israeli military tactic.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

"When a breach at a platform the scale of Booking.com moves from data exfiltration to active phishing campaigns within days, it signals something more deliberate than opportunistic," he said.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

I mention this because it’s important to be deliberate about when you claim Social Security.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

Ben moved in close to guard his father, who began dribbling toward the basket with deliberate caution.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Related Words

• calculated
• careful
• cautious
• cold-blooded
• conscious
• meticulous
• premeditated
• prudent
• purposeful
• studious
• thoughtful
• willful