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.
"He was listening to the music intently, he was giving notes, it was just really a special and unique thing to see," she said.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
But Carlos Dibus, one of millions of Cubans who have fled abroad, was listening intently.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
The White House has focused these efforts most intently on one industry: coal.
From Salon ● May 10, 2026
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
He was staring at her intently, his brown eyes wide, his eyebrows locked, his lips smooshed together.
From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu
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.
