intently
Americanadverb
-
in a firmly or steadfastly fixed or directed way, as with the eyes, ears, or mind.
She sat there rapt, leaning on her elbows on the table, listening intently to us.
-
in a fully engaged or determined way that shows strength of purpose.
I know that many others have been working on their versions of the project far more intently—and coherently—than I.
Etymology
Origin of intently
Explanation
If you're studying something intently, you're probably leaning forward and you're oblivious to whatever is going on around you. Your attention is focused like a laser. If you're gazing intently into someone's eyes, you're hanging on to every blink of the eye, every nuance of expression. Maybe you're in love. When you do something intently, you do it with intensity. It's not a coincidence that intently sounds a lot like intensity, as they both come from the Latin intendere, made up of in- ("toward") and tendere ("stretch"). So when you're listening intently to a Bartók string quartet, you're stretching and straining to hear every note.
Vocabulary lists containing intently
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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List 2
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Refugee
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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.
Saar took to the stage amid a resounding standing ovation, and when she spoke, the crowd’s gaze remained intently on her.
From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2026
Many youth—not just those who have had the grave misfortune of being arrested and stuck in hellish immigration detention centers—are intently watching these interactions and wondering what’s next for them.
From Slate • Apr. 27, 2026
Listening intently, Barr seemed to understand both the truth and that telling it to the president would almost certainly cost him his job.
From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026
"When you find people your age that are on fire for Jesus, and are also searching intently, it can be really motivating and really inspiring, and just to know that you're not on your own."
From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026
Woo is sitting on my chest, staring at me intently.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
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.
