deliberate

[adjective dih-lib-er-it; verb dih-lib-uh-reyt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR deliberate ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

carefully weighed or considered; studied; intentional: a deliberate lie.

characterized by deliberation or cautious consideration; careful or slow in deciding: Moving away from the city and all its advantages required a deliberate decision.

leisurely and steady in movement or action; slow and even; unhurried: moving with a deliberate step.

verb (used with object), de·lib·er·at·ed, de·lib·er·at·ing.

to weigh in the mind; consider: to deliberate a question.

verb (used without object), de·lib·er·at·ed, de·lib·er·at·ing.

to think carefully or attentively; reflect: She deliberated for a long time before giving her decision.

to consult or confer formally: The jury deliberated for three hours.

Origin of deliberate

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin dēlīberātus (past participle of dēlīberāre to consider), equivalent to dē- de- + līber(āre) to balance, weigh (derivative of lībra balance, scales) + -ātus -ate¹

Related formsde·lib·er·ate·ly, adverbde·lib·er·ate·ness, nounde·lib·er·a·tor, nounnon·de·lib·er·ate, adjectivenon·de·lib·er·ate·ly, adverbnon·de·lib·er·ate·ness, nouno·ver·de·lib·er·ate, verb, o·ver·de·lib·er·at·ed, o·ver·de·lib·er·at·ing.o·ver·de·lib·er·ate, adjectiveo·ver·de·lib·er·ate·ly, adverbo·ver·de·lib·er·ate·ness, nounpre·de·lib·er·ate, verb (used with object), pre·de·lib·er·at·ed, pre·de·lib·er·at·ing.pre·de·lib·er·ate, adjectivepre·de·lib·er·ate·ly, adverbqua·si-de·lib·er·ate, adjectivequa·si-de·lib·er·ate·ly, adverbre·de·lib·er·ate, verb, re·de·lib·er·at·ed, re·de·lib·er·at·ing.un·de·lib·er·ate, adjectiveun·de·lib·er·ate·ly, adverbun·de·lib·er·ate·ness, nounun·de·lib·er·at·ing, adjectiveun·de·lib·er·at·ing·ly, adverbwell-de·lib·er·at·ed, adjective

Synonyms for deliberate

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR deliberate ON THESAURUS.COM

1. purposeful; willful. 2. methodical, thoughtful, circumspect, cautious. 4. ponder. 5. cogitate, ruminate.

Synonym study

1. 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. 3. See slow.

Antonyms for deliberate

1. accidental. 2. impulsive, precipitate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for deliberate

premeditated, careful, conscious, purposeful, calculated, studious, cold-blooded, thoughtful, cautious, willful, prudent, meticulous, ponder, consider, reflect, contemplate, consult, weigh, studied, intended

Examples from the Web for deliberate

Contemporary Examples of deliberate

But we were attempting a deliberate naiveté, a decision to approach these books as if they might have something to teach us.
American Democracy Under Threat for 250 Years
Jedediah Purdy
December 28, 2014
“The lovers are seated across the room from each other,” he begins in his deliberate tones.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days
David Freeman
December 13, 2014
Poindexter followed with a recitation of the Iran program filled with deliberate inaccuracies.
How the Reagan White House Bungled Its Response to Iran-Contra Revelations
Malcolm Byrne
November 3, 2014
A pitcher's life is one day of deliberate self-injury, followed by three days of healing, then a fresh injury.
Will the Real Jim Palmer Please Stand Up
Tom Boswell
September 27, 2014
Some companies fear “throttling”—a deliberate slowing—which may become more frequently used by the ISPs.
Porn Fights For Your Right to Surf: Pornhub, YouPorn, and Redtube Lead Charge For Net Neutrality
Aurora Snow
September 13, 2014

Historical Examples of deliberate

But he had not done so, and she was glad he could be restrained and deliberate in that "breedy" sort of way.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
“Very well,” he said, and paused, as if in deliberate contempt of the official clock.
The Secret Agent
Joseph Conrad
It was a long speech for Wally to make, and he made it with deliberate malice.
Good Indian
B. M. Bower
"What you choose to think," he said after a deliberate pause.
The Black Bag
Louis Joseph Vance
"There was a lovely cat at the hotel," she added with deliberate malice.
Gloria and Treeless Street
Annie Hamilton Donnell

British Dictionary definitions for deliberate

deliberate

adjective (dɪˈlɪbərɪt)

carefully thought out in advance; planned; studied; intentionala deliberate insult

careful or unhurried in speech or actiona deliberate pace

verb (dɪˈlɪbəˌreɪt)

to consider (something) deeply; ponder; think over

Derived Formsdeliberately, adverbdeliberateness, noundeliberator, noun

Word Origin for deliberate

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for deliberate

adj.

early 15c., "done with careful consideration," from Latin deliberatus "resolved upon, determined," past participle of deliberare (see deliberation). Meaning "slow, consciously unhurried" is attested by 1590s. Related: Deliberately.

1540s, from Latin deliberatus, past participle of deliberare (see deliberation). Related: Deliberated; deliberating.