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.
One person I've deliberately left out of the above list of managers I've enjoyed getting to know over the years is Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.
From BBC • May 15, 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
The ordeal eventually led Ms. Müller to emigrate to West Berlin in 1987, a bureaucratic torment that she describes here in deliberately tedious detail, to mirror the experience.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
“He flouted the lawful authority of the FDA and deliberately deceived the public by repackaging low-quality, foreign-made test kits at a time when accuracy and reliability were critical,” Grant said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
Gladys munched as slowly and deliberately as a cow, her huge black eyes fixed on me, her lips curled into a slight smile.
From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago
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.
