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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Related Words
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.
Brewer said the Callais ruling’s emphasis on intentional discrimination strengthens his claim for access to emails, meeting recordings and other evidence that could show intent.
From Salon • May 7, 2026
"It's really hard to digest because I don't think it was an intentional and violent conduct. It was a duel in the air and with a tall striker," added Le Bris.
From BBC • May 2, 2026
India referred to the short lifespans of the workers compared to the marvelous structures they craft: Was it intentional that you documented most of the D Line’s visual history through the people who built it?
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
More important, the court reoriented voting-rights law toward its original constitutional purpose—preventing intentional racial discrimination.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
Pauline challenged her to be intentional, to plan her work, to make a statement in each photograph, no matter how straightforward the photo might seem.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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.
