deliberate

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

/ adjective dɪˈlɪb ər ɪt; verb dɪˈlɪb əˌreɪt /

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.

Nearby words

delhi belly, deli, delia, delian, delian league, deliberate, deliberation, deliberative, delibes, delibes, léo, delicacy

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

SYNONYMS FOR deliberate

1 purposeful; willful.

2 methodical, thoughtful, circumspect, cautious.

4 ponder.

5 cogitate, ruminate.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR deliberate ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR deliberate

1 accidental.

2 impulsive, precipitate.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR deliberate ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

de·lib·er·ate·ly, adverbde·lib·er·ate·ness, nounde·lib·er·a·tor, nounnon·de·lib·er·ate, adjective

non·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

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.

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

Examples from the Web for deliberately

Patrons eat their cannoli slowly and deliberately, dabbing the powdered sugar on their plates with licked fingers.
De Robertis, a New York Great, Bids Farewell|Lizzie Crocker|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Nonetheless, Turing killed himself on June 7, 1954, in a deliberately prepared way, by eating a cyanide-laced apple.
The Castration of Alan Turing, Britain’s Code-Breaking WWII Hero|Clive Irving|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He refused to be drawn on whether the authors might be guilty of a deliberately deception.
Is ‘The Lost Gospel’ Book a Fraud?|Nico Hines|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Second, penalties need to be increased for lying or deliberately withholding relevant requested information from Congress.
George W. Bush’s Puzzling WMD Coverup|Rick Santorum, Pete Hoekstra|October 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

“The language on the ballot is deceptive and deliberately so,” says Herron.
Tennessee Voters Face a Loaded Abortion Question|Eleanor Clift|October 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I deliberately asked him to dine with me last night in London.
The Diva's Ruby|F. Marion Crawford
Coldly and deliberately Michael after dinner rang the bell of Drake's house.
Sinister Street, vol. 1|Compton Mackenzie
How could he deliberately become the scapegoat of so many crimes to which he had been an utter stranger?
The Life of Napoleon Bonaparte|William Milligan Sloane
Stankevitch wrote that not deliberately, but persistently, the Committee was dealing death-blows to the Government.
The Russian Turmoil|Anton Ivanovich Denikin
The schooner had had measles on board, and the six prisoners had been deliberately exposed to it.
South Sea Tales|Jack London

British Dictionary definitions for deliberately

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 Forms

deliberately, 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