intentional
Americanadjective
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done with intention or on purpose; intended.
an intentional insult.
- Antonyms:
- accidental
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of or relating to intention or purpose.
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Metaphysics.
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pertaining to an appearance, phenomenon, or representation in the mind; phenomenal; representational.
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pertaining to the capacity of the mind to refer to an existent or nonexistent object.
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pointing beyond itself, as consciousness or a sign.
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adjective
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performed by or expressing intention; deliberate
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of or relating to intention or purpose
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philosophy
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of or relating to the capacity of the mind to refer to different kinds of objects
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(of an object) existing only as the object of some mental attitude rather than in reality, as a unicorn in she hopes to meet a unicorn See also intensional
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Synonym Usage
See deliberate.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of intentional
Explanation
Something intentional was done on purpose. If a crime was intentional, it was no accident. If you bump into your little brother in the hallway because you weren't paying attention, it's unintentional. But if wait for him to walk by and then stick out your foot to trip him, it's intentional. And not very nice. Usually we let people off the hook if they do something bad accidentally. But if your evil doings are premeditated, consciously planned, or otherwise intentional, no one will take much pity on you.
Vocabulary lists containing intentional
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 5
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Thirteen Reasons Why
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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.
That intentional crossover between music and comedy is part of why Bird gravitates to Largo.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026
A “rich life,” in his framework, is one where a person’s finances, relationships and everyday life are intentional, fulfilling and abundant.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 12, 2026
Serve it over toast and suddenly breakfast feels much more intentional than it actually was.
From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026
More employees are embracing “microshifting,” carving the workday into chunks, with intentional breaks for family time or personal replenishment.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Sometimes in a painting, negative space is intentional; sometimes it is an accident of composition.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
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.
