intention
Americannoun
-
intentions
plural
-
an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result.
-
the end or object intended; purpose.
- Synonyms:
- goal
-
intentions,
-
purpose or attitude toward the effect of one's actions or conduct.
a bungler with good intentions.
-
purpose or attitude with respect to marriage.
Our friends are beginning to ask what our intentions are.
-
-
the act or fact of intending.
-
Logic.
-
Also called first intention,. Also called primary intention. reference by signs, concepts, etc., to concrete things, their properties, classes, or the relationships among them.
-
Also called second intention,. Also called secondary intention. reference to properties, classes, or the relationships among first intentions.
-
-
Surgery, Medicine/Medical. a manner or process of healing, as in the healing of a lesion or fracture without granulation healing by first intention or the healing of a wound by granulation after suppuration healing by second intention.
-
meaning or significance.
The intention of his words was clear.
-
the person or thing meant to benefit from a prayer or religious offering.
-
Archaic. intentness.
noun
-
a purpose or goal; aim
it is his intention to reform
-
law the resolve or design with which a person does or refrains from doing an act, a necessary ingredient of certain offences
-
med a natural healing process, as by first intention , in which the edges of a wound cling together with no tissue between, or by second intention , in which the wound edges adhere with granulation tissue
-
(usually plural) design or purpose with respect to a proposal of marriage (esp in the phrase honourable intentions )
-
an archaic word for meaning intentness
Synonym Usage
Intention, intent, purpose all refer to a wish that one means to carry out. Intention is the general word: His intention is good. Intent is chiefly legal or literary: attack with intent to kill. Purpose implies having a goal or determination to achieve something: Her strong sense of purpose is reflected in her studies.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of intention
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English intencio(u)n, from Latin intentiōn- (stem of intentiō ). See intent 2, -ion
Explanation
An intention is idea that you plan (or intend) to carry out. If you mean something, it's an intention. Your goal, purpose, or aim is your intention. It's something you mean to do, whether you pull it off or not. You may have the best intention of cooking an incredible meal, but if you leave the burner on and burn the house down, you will not be remembered as an excellent chef. When a father asks his daughter's boyfriend "What are your intentions?" that means something specific: Does he want to marry her?
Vocabulary lists containing intention
List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The ACT: The Language of the Test, List 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
She made no secret of her intention to become "iconic" with that unprecedented achievement, completed in Sunday's mixed 4x100m relay.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The Dodgers have said Walter has no intention of selling that team.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Armed with a helmet and a flashlight, Hernan Giraldo had no intention of giving up on his son.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
In a New York Times op-ed, Paramount CEO David Ellison now says he likes both political parties and has no intention of meddling in news.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Mom says she has no intention of ever being a farmer, even though she knows how to drive a tractor and prune grapes and everything.
From "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" by Kelly Jones
The clearest sign of Netflix’s local intentions may be in Studio City.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Fecofa stressed that the episode, born of good intentions, should not overshadow Infantino's wider record.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Despite the initiatives' good intentions, the diplomatic source said, "there are no reliable figures."
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
The company said Monday that Castlelake and Apollo both had until August 7 to outline firm intentions to make an offer or step away.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
At this critical moment, Gordievsky managed to persuade his MI6 contacts that the Soviets had misread NATO's intentions.
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.
