intent

1 of 2

noun

in·​tent in-ˈtent How to pronounce intent (audio)
1
: a usually clearly formulated or planned intention : aim
the director's intent
2
a
: the act or fact of intending : purpose
especially : the design or purpose to commit a wrongful or criminal act
admitted wounding him with intent
b
: the state of mind with which an act is done : volition
3

intent

2 of 2

adjective

1
: directed with strained or eager attention : concentrated
2
: having the mind, attention, or will concentrated on something or some end or purpose
intent on their work
intentness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for intent

intention, intent, purpose, design, aim, end, object, objective, goal mean what one intends to accomplish or attain.

intention implies little more than what one has in mind to do or bring about.

announced his intention to marry

intent suggests clearer formulation or greater deliberateness.

the clear intent of the statute

purpose suggests a more settled determination.

being successful was her purpose in life

design implies a more carefully calculated plan.

the order of events came by accident, not design

aim adds to these implications of effort directed toward attaining or accomplishing.

her aim was to raise film to an art form

end stresses the intended effect of action often in distinction or contrast to the action or means as such.

willing to use any means to achieve his end

object may equal end but more often applies to a more individually determined wish or need.

his constant object was the achievement of pleasure

objective implies something tangible and immediately attainable.

their objective is to seize the oil fields

goal suggests something attained only by prolonged effort and hardship.

worked years to reach her goals

Examples of intent in a Sentence

Noun She thinks I'm trying to make things difficult for her, but that's not my intent. The intent of the law is to protect consumers. He was charged with assault with intent to kill. Adjective intent on finishing her sculpture in time for the group show he was so intent on his work that he didn't hear the dog bark
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
After several run-ins with the law, he was convicted in 1992 for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 The intent behind the bill was to make daylight saving time permanent starting in the spring of 2023. Diba Mohtasham, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024 So Gordon’s intent to make rhythmic and unsettling avant-garde hip-hop is what drives The Collective. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 But right now, the intent is to really go after the ByteDance-TikTok dynamic and make some headway there. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2024 Supporters said that this was the original intent of the law and that the counties weren’t necessarily spending the MHSA funding in line with the vision of the act. Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024 The intent had been to seat first lady Jill Biden near Zelenska and Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died last month in an Arctic prison, according to officials familiar with the planning. Tyler Pager, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 When Grosz opened the restaurant in June 2001, the intent was to give his staff an opportunity to find its footing by the theater’s fall season. Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2024 Tamika Wooten, who filed her notice of intent to seek the office as a Democrat this week, also has previously run for county attorney. The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The norms and traditions that Trump is intent on smashing are, once again, benefitting him. Consider the enormous buildup before, and wall-to-wall coverage of, Biden’s annual address to Congress. Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2024 Angel is intent on destroying the entire world, sucking the entire world into the Hellmouth. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2024 The children were also taught about the world their father was intent on conquering with a wooden jigsaw, which is also on display. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 Danny is intent on making sure that Eli finds that moment with Laura. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Mar. 2024 Legendary was intent on broadening the audience, versus just relying on die-hard fans of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi 1965 novel. Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Mar. 2024 The first Dune was intent on laying out the complex royal intrigue of House Atreides’ arrival on Arrakis, but much of Dune: Part Two is about the nuances of Fremen life. David Sims, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2024 So, what drove the executives, intent on finding another edge, into such a radical redesign? Henry Flynn, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Like the dormant insect, the Locust has reemerged, intent on destroying the world. Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'intent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English entente, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin intentus, from Latin, act of stretching out, from intendere

Adjective

Latin intentus, from past participle of intendere

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of intent was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near intent

Cite this Entry

“Intent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intent. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

intent

1 of 2 noun
in·​tent in-ˈtent How to pronounce intent (audio)
1
: purpose sense 1, intention
with intent to injure
2
: meaning entry 1 sense 1a
the intent of the law

intent

2 of 2 adjective
1
: directed with strained or eager attention
an intent gaze
2
a
: having the mind, attention, or will concentrated on something
b
: set on some end or purpose
intent on going
intently adverb
intentness noun

Legal Definition

intent

noun
in·​tent in-ˈtent How to pronounce intent (audio)
1
: the act or fact of intending: as
a
: the design or purpose to commit a wrongful or criminal act

called also criminal intent

compare knowledge, mens rea, motive, negligence
b
: the purpose to commit a tortious act having consequences that the actor desires and believes or knows will occur
constructive intent
: intent that is inferred to exist (as from willfulness or recklessness) in relation to an act
criminal intent
general intent
: intent to perform an illegal act without the desire for further consequences or a precise result there was a general intent to assault but not to kill
specific intent
: intent to perform an illegal act with the knowledge or purpose that particular results will or may ensue assaulted him with specific intent to kill
transferred intent
: intent attributed to a person who intends to cause another harm when the harm is accidentally inflicted on an unintended victim
: a doctrine in tort and criminal law: a wrongdoer who causes harm to a person other than the one intended may nevertheless be held to have intended the harmful result
2
b
: the purpose of a document (as a contract or will)
c
: the aim or goal of a person in creating a document or taking an action
the court's attempt to fulfill the donor's intent
the intent of the contracting parties implied by their language
see also original intent

More from Merriam-Webster on intent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!