intend

verb

in·tend | \ in-ˈtend

intended; intending; intends

Definition of intend

transitive verb

1a : to have in mind as a purpose or goal : plan

b : to design for a specified use or future

2a : signify, mean

b : to refer to

3 : to direct the mind on

4 archaic : to proceed on (a course)

intransitive verb

archaic : set out, start

Other Words from intend Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about intend

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Synonyms for intend

Synonyms

aim, allow [chiefly Southern & Midland], aspire, calculate, contemplate, design, go [chiefly Southern & Midland], look, mean, meditate, plan, propose, purport, purpose

Examples of intend in a Sentence

I didn't intend any disrespect. We intended that she come with us.

Recent Examples on the Web

His crew’s circumstances have improved, but a barrage of wonky patches continue to make Atlas a far more harrowing experience than the developers (hopefully) intend. — Adam Patrick Murray, PCWorld, "PCWorld is streaming Atlas on Twitch and YouTube!," 18 Jan. 2019 In May of this year, the US House Intelligence Committee published a vast trove of Facebook and Instagram ads from Russian organizations that intended to influence the election outcome. — Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, "Talk amongst yourselves: 2018’s most-commented stories on Ars," 24 Dec. 2018 That defense may be more ironic than intended: Revenge of the Nerds, a 1984 comedy about college life, has been criticized for a scene between two characters that, in restrospect, has been interpreted as rape. — Christianna Silva, Teen Vogue, "Brett Kavanaugh's Beach Week Letter Included a Line About Begging Girls to Hang Out," 3 Oct. 2018 Humanitarian aid intended for Venezuela sat inside a warehouse in the border city of Cúcuta, Colombia, on Wednesday. — Ryan Dube, WSJ, "Showdown at Venezuelan Border Turns Deadly," 22 Feb. 2019 That means while the land is intended for everyone, effectively it can only be used by those wealthy enough to secure access to the lands across their own property lines or down their own gated roads. — James Lynch, Popular Mechanics, "The Inaccessibility of Our Public Lands," 25 Nov. 2018 According to the Daily Mail, 20,000 British women were compensated £2,600 (about $3,390) each by German company TUV Rheinland after receiving faulty breast implants due to a type of silicone intended for mattresses. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "Over 5,000 British Women Are Being Accused of Lying About Getting Defunct Breast Implants," 1 Oct. 2018 Adam pulled double duty—pun intended—and appeared alongside his fellow Voice coach, John Legend, in a new Pampers commercial that aired on February 3. — Kelly O'sullivan, Country Living, "Adam Levine Made a Rare Appearance With His Baby Daughter During the Super Bowl," 4 Feb. 2019 An Amazon spokeswoman said the policy is intended to help reduce customer confusion. — Jason Del Rey, Recode, "An Amazon revolt could be brewing as the tech giant exerts more control over brands," 29 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'intend.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.