deliberately

adverb

de·​lib·​er·​ate·​ly di-ˈli-bə-rət-lē How to pronounce deliberately (audio)
-ˈlib-rət-
Synonyms of deliberately
: in a deliberate manner: such as
a
: with full awareness of what one is doing : in a way that is intended or planned
trying deliberately to mislead us
a deliberately harsh review
It's very clear, however, that organizations funded in part by the fossil fuel industry have deliberately tried to undermine the public's understanding of the scientific consensus by promoting a few skeptics.Joel Achenbach
b
: in a way that is not hurried : slowly and carefully
speaking clearly and deliberately
He moves deliberately, almost cautiously, and he speaks with the assurance of someone who is accustomed to being listened to.Alec Wilkinson

Examples of deliberately in a Sentence

deliberately chose to break the rules
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The boutique advisory firms that emerged in their wake — Evercore, Lazard, Centerview, PJT — carved out strong advisory franchises but deliberately shed their balance sheets; their pitch to clients is independence, not capital. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 18 July 2026 That tradition is carried on by Gordon Kenny, the artist behind Double Wonderful, a (deliberately) inscrutable T-shirt brand. Hilton Als, New Yorker, 17 July 2026 But the instances of godly intervention that run rampant in Homer’s poem are deliberately vague in Nolan’s telling, if not excised entirely. Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 July 2026 Several troubling new details are included in the articles, including an accusation that ADA leadership knew in advance that members would be handing out copies of the editorial and deliberately set up an ambush by venue security and local police. Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for deliberately

Word History

Etymology

Middle English deliberatly "with due consideration," from deliberate deliberate entry 2 + -ly -ly entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deliberately was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deliberately.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deliberately. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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