intended
Americanadjective
noun
Other Word Forms
- intendedly adverb
- intendedness noun
- quasi-intended adjective
- unintended adjective
- unintendedly adverb
Etymology
Origin of intended
Explanation
Something intended is done on purpose. The intended outcome of a meeting is the result that everyone is planning and hoping for. A robber's intended victim is the person whose purse he means to snatch, and the intended destination of a hot air balloon is the spot where its pilot expects to land. An old-fashioned way to use this word is as a noun, meaning "fiancee" or "person I plan to marry." Intended comes from the verb intend, or "plan," from the Latin intendere, "turn one's attention" or "have as a plan."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But the timing of the succession remained a mystery through Munger’s death in November 2023 and until this past May, when Buffett, 95, declared on the same stage that he intended to retire at year-end.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026
“We really want the public to know what these e-motorcycles are capable of, that they are not intended for street use and shouldn’t be in the hands of children.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
The measures are intended to prevent Lake Powell from falling so low that water would no longer reach intakes to turn turbines and generate electricity — a point it could have reached by August.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
“Early data indicates we are seeing the intended effect, with volume growth beginning to follow our pricing actions,” he said, noting the recent quarter’s sales decline wasn’t as steep as expected.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
The letter need not be long, for it was simply intended to let the steward know how much salary she was owed.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
