deliberately
Americanadverb
-
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.
Attackers can deliberately alter fake videos in subtle ways designed to confuse a detector and make manipulated footage appear authentic.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
Cicotte's pitch, deliberately hitting Maurice Rath on the back, was a sign to his team-mates, and gamblers in the know, that the fix was on.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Whether the North Korean mines were deliberately planted or had drifted would be determined by the final investigation, said Joint Chiefs of Staff director of operations Yang Jin-hyeok.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
Chef Isabel Coss spoke about deliberately seeking out experiences that leave her feeling a little out of place.
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
The KGB deliberately played up his re-defection, hoping to sow confusion inside the CIA and FBI over whether he had been telling them the truth—or whether the whole episode was a carefully orchestrated KGB deception.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
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.
