intention

[ in-ten-shuhn ]

/ ɪnˈtɛn ʃən /

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See synonyms for: intention / intentions on Thesaurus.com

noun

an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result.

the end or object intended; purpose.

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, primary intention. reference by signs, concepts, etc., to concrete things, their properties, classes, or the relationships among them.
Also called second intention, 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.

OTHER WORDS FOR intention

2 goal.

See synonyms for intention on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of intention

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English intencio(u)n, from Latin intentiōn- (stem of intentiō ). See intent², -ion

synonym study for intention

2. 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 WORDS FROM intention

in·ten·tion·less, adjectivemis·in·ten·tion, nounpre·in·ten·tion, nounsub·in·ten·tion, noun

Words nearby intention

intensity, intensive, intensive care, intensive care unit, intent, intention, intentional, intentional community, intentional fallacy, intentional foul, intentionally

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use intention in a sentence

He’s allowing that perhaps the prosecutors mean well, but as the Lewis quote suggests, even those good intentions can give way to overzealousness.
William Barr’s eyebrow-raising ‘robber barons’ metaphor for the Trump era|Aaron Blake|September 17, 2020|Washington Post
Survey respondents also indicated a corresponding intention to spend more with small businesses.
Facebook Business Suite is a new cross-app management tool for SMBs|Greg Sterling|September 17, 2020|Search Engine Land
Custom affinity audiences with keywords will convert to “People with any of these interests or purchase intentions,” as will Display custom intent audiences.
Google custom audiences, the combo of custom affinity and custom intent audiences, now live|Ginny Marvin|September 14, 2020|Search Engine Land
And, yes, you can create an intention to meditate, drink more water, and start journaling.
How a vacation—or a pandemic—can help you adopt better habits now|matthewheimer|September 12, 2020|Fortune

Of course, the model has no intention to deceive or convince.
Welcome to the Next Level of Bullshit - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Raphaël Millière|September 9, 2020|Nautilus
My intention is to make it with the same approach as Anchorman 2.
Inside Sony’s ‘Pineapple Express 2 Drama’: Leaked Emails Reveal Fight Over Stoner Comedy Sequel|William Boot|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One morning at about eleven, he announces his intention as though it's truly an unusual thought: “Let's have a little drink.”
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“The intention is to create a 21st century auction house,” Gilkes says.
William, Kate, and Jay Z’s Favorite Art Star: Alexander Gilkes' World of Rock Stars and Royalty|Tim Teeman|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Hollywood dilutes material to a level I have no interest in, or intention following,” Wiseman says firmly.
Inside The Secret World of London’s National Gallery|Tim Teeman|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One reason for withholding information was the president had no intention of shutting down the initiative.
How the Reagan White House Bungled Its Response to Iran-Contra Revelations|Malcolm Byrne|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The two women had no intention of bathing; they had just strolled down to the beach for a walk and to be alone and near the water.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
There is more of artfulness in the flatteries which appear to involve a calculating intention to say the nice agreeable thing.
Children's Ways|James Sully
However this be, it is hard to say that these fibs have that clear intention to deceive which constitutes a complete lie.
Children's Ways|James Sully
It was never the intention of the Federal Reserve Act that member banks should continue the maintenance of these reserve accounts.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
Was she merely an egoist—it ran in the family—or did it conceal much that she had no intention of revealing?
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton

British Dictionary definitions for intention

intention

/ (ɪnˈtɛnʃən) /

noun

a purpose or goal; aimit 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

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

Medical definitions for intention

intention

[ ĭn-tĕn′shən ]

An aim that guides action.

The process by which or the manner in which a wound heals.

Other words from intention

in•ten′tion•al adj.

intention

OTHER WORDS FOR intention

Origin of intention

synonym study for intention

OTHER WORDS FROM intention

Words nearby intention

Words related to intention

How to use intention in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for intention

Medical definitions for intention

Other words from intention