by design
On purpose, deliberately, as in Whether by luck or by design, his application was accepted. This term, originally put as on design, uses design in the sense of “plan.” [First half of 1600s]
Words nearby by design
by choice, by coincidence, by cracky, by definition, by degrees, by design, by dint of, by far, by fits and starts, by half, by halves
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.