Intentionally
adv.thoughtful, capableeveryday
What it means
With conscious purpose rather than by accident or habit.
Reach for it when showing that someone deliberately chose the action or effect
The architect intentionally preserved the worn threshold at the main entrance.
Choose between these
5- everyday
conscious choice is the exact contrast with accident
not when Deliberately can imply harmful calculation in sensitive contexts.
- warm
clear direction and confidence characterize the action
not when Purposefully often describes manner, not proof that the outcome was intended.
- professional
consciously
awareness during the choice deserves emphasis
not when Consciously may concern attention rather than a specific purpose.
- formal
awareness of the relevant fact or consequence is central
not when Knowingly does not always mean the person desired the result.
- literary
designedly
an older, elevated term for deliberate arrangement suits the prose
not when Designedly is unfamiliar and likely to distract in ordinary writing.
Said against
3- accidentally
- unconsciously
- inadvertently
It naturally appears in
3- intentionally designed
The pause was intentionally designed to give readers time to reflect.
- intentionally left
One wall was intentionally left unpainted to reveal the original brick.
- act intentionally
Leaders should act intentionally when changing a trusted routine.
The word family
1Where this comes from
- Merriam-Webster, adverb sense 1: in an intentional manner opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.