intend
Americanverb (used with object)
-
intends,
present (3rd person singular)
-
intended,
past participle, past
-
intending
present participle
-
to have in mind as something to be done or brought about; plan.
We intend to leave in a month.
- Synonyms:
- purpose, aim, expect, contemplate
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to design or mean for a particular purpose, use, recipient, etc..
a fund intended for emergency use only.
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to design to express or indicate, as by one's words; refer to.
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(of words, terms, statements, etc.) to mean or signify.
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Archaic. to direct (the eyes, mind, etc.).
verb (used without object)
-
intends,
present (3rd person singular)
-
intended,
past participle, past
-
intending
present participle
-
to have a purpose or design.
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Obsolete. to set out on one's course.
verb
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(may take a clause as object) to propose or plan (something or to do something); have in mind; mean
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to design or destine (for a certain purpose, person, etc)
that shot was intended for the President
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(tr) to mean to express or indicate
what do his words intend?
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(intr) to have a purpose as specified; mean
he intends well
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archaic (tr) to direct or turn (the attention, eyes, etc)
Synonym Usage
Intend, mean, design, propose imply knowing what one wishes to do and setting this as a goal. To intend is to have in mind something to be done or brought about: No offense was intended. Mean is a less formal word than intend but otherwise a close synonym: He means to go away. Design implies planning to effect a particular result: to design a plan for Christmas decorations. Propose suggests setting up a program for oneself or offering it to others for consideration: We propose to beautify our city.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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intendsimple
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intendssimple
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have intendedperfect
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has intendedperfect
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am intendingprogressive
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are intendingprogressive
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is intendingprogressive
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have been intendingperfect progressive
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has been intendingperfect progressive
Past
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intendedsimple
-
had intendedperfect
-
was intendingprogressive
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were intendingprogressive
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had been intendingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of intend
First recorded in 1250–1300; from Latin intendere “to aim, assert, stretch out”; equivalent to in- 2 + tend 1; replacing Middle English entenden, from Old French entendre, from Latin, as above
Explanation
If you intend to do something, you mean to do it or have it in mind as a goal. Do you plan on getting your holiday cards in the mail before February this year? Then you intend on getting them out early. The world is full of good intentions, meaning there are lots of people who intend to be nice, eat better, floss more, or pick up their dirty socks. But things don't always go as planned. Your actions could produce results that you didn't expect, specify, or ever intend — that might explain the well-known proverb, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."
Vocabulary lists containing intend
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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.
See Examples For:
But The Telegraph also noted the pair intend to keep their existing homes in California and Portugal.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
“These types of visas are issued with a clear understanding that they are for those who intend to return home,” Pigott said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
The researchers also intend to investigate other metabolites that may contribute to the effect.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
It comes after it emerged that the couple intend to relocate with their children from the US to the UK later this month to a private, non-royal residence outside London.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
“So, what you’re saying is that you intend to convert,” I said sarcastically.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
According to Bloomberg, Anthropic intends to surpass the record $86.2 billion that Elon Musk's SpaceX raised in its June IPO.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
Tice will set out how the Reform intends to pay for the 50,000 affordable homes during Monday's news conference, the party added.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
Real estate developer Edward P. Roski, one of the Lakers’ other known minority owners, has not disclosed whether he intends to sell his 3% stake in the team.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
The company intends to start delivering more than 50% of cumulative free cash flow back to shareholders, whereas its previous target called for “within 50%.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
"I wonder about your brother Stannis as well. I wonder when he intends to end his visit to Dragonstone and resume his seat on this coun-cil."
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
“Legend” wasn’t intended as a vehicle for any actor.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026
STMicroelectronics said it doesn’t support or condone the use of its products in applications outside their intended purpose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
Those observations are intended to help researchers evaluate the deflection of asteroids as a potential method to defend Earth against asteroid impacts.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 26, 2026
Thailand's head negotiator, Thanat Suwannanon, told local media this week the attacks may be intended to gain the upper hand in the next round of talks.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
He did not know what she intended, and he did not want to find out.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
Recently, I went to the grocery store intending, more or less, to buy ingredients for spaghetti with a weeknight Bolognese.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
She returned to the organization that drafted her intending to help them get back to the postseason.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
The Wiener campaign described it as “the world’s first AI trained to say no to anything you ask,” intending to highlight her record on housing, transit, and other issues.
From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026
We’ve tried a downsizing-surge approach, intending to spend days in the storage room, say, to make major headway.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
They went into the grocery store, intending on getting food for the day.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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.
