deliberately
Americanadverb
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on purpose; with clear intent.
Is this just bad journalism, or an attempt to deliberately mislead the public?
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with careful thought or consideration.
The board is committed to moving deliberately on this important initiative.
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in a calm and unhurried way.
He was careful to move slowly and deliberately so as not to scare them off.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deliberately
Explanation
Deliberately means on purpose. For example, you may have noticed how the schoolyard bully deliberately chose to pick on the smallest kids at recess. The adverb deliberately originates from the Latin word deliberatus, meaning "resolved upon, determined." Used to describe an action made intentionally, it can also mean doing something in a careful, thoughtful manner. You probably cringed when the pitcher deliberately hurled the ball into the star batter's leg so he would walk rather than hitting another home run. Or perhaps you witnessed a college professor stroking his beard deliberately in response to a classmate's challenging question.
Vocabulary lists containing deliberately
"Of Mice and Men"
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Touching Spirit Bear
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The Devil's Arithmetic
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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.
“They just have been deliberately trying to get the right AI products in front of you,” Nathanson said, referring to Google’s expanding suite of search tools.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
This deliberately overlooks the capabilities of mRNA technology, and it’s not clear what “better solutions” Kennedy may have in mind.
From Salon • May 20, 2026
The November 2024 indictment in New York accused the industrialist and multiple subordinates of deliberately misleading international investors as part of a vast bribery scheme.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
Rayner said she had been "exonerated" of the accusation she had "deliberately sought to avoid tax".
From BBC • May 14, 2026
And the messy apartment I was sure to walk into; the flight numbers and so forth left deliberately, so it now seemed, by the phone; both were oversights unworthy of Henry.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
