deliberate

[dih-lib-er-it, dih-lib-uh-reyt]

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.

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

adjective

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

   a deliberate insult

2. careful or unhurried in speech or action

   a deliberate pace

verb

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of deliberate¹

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; de-, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of deliberate¹

C15: from Latin dēlīberāre to consider well, from lībrāre to weigh, from lībra scales

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

Executives deliberated between a costly refurbishment of the existing office at 25 Bank Street, building on another patch of land in the Wharf or hopping west to the City, London’s historic financial district.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

That is leading to a slow but deliberate move into other assets, the report said.

Read more on Barron's

It must be harnessed through deliberate actions that amplify its benefits and manage its tensions.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“There’s a security rationale behind it, but you can also think of it as industrial policy. It represents a very deliberate attempt to spend money in Germany and nurture domestic industry,” Winkler said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Many cancer therapies work by inflicting deliberate DNA damage on tumor cells, and early drug development often requires precise measurements of how much damage a compound creates.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

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