intently

adverb

in·​tent·​ly in-ˈtent-lē 

: in an intent or concentrated manner : with great effort, attention, or concentration

Their eyes, when they look at you and listen intently, focus like laser beams.

—Molly Haskell

He turned back to face her again and stared at her most intently.

—Robert C. O'Brien

Synonyms of intently

• hard
• intensively
• intensely
• diligently
• resolutely
• determinedly
• continuously
• doggedly
• arduously
• assiduously
• purposefully
• industriously

Examples of intently in a Sentence

intently studied his notes just before the exam

Recent Examples on the Web

The graduate students remain quietly and intently focused on their gear. — IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2026

With the pope smiling warmly in his usual traditional white robes, Dylan wears a hooded black zip-up underneath a jacket and looks at the Bishop of Rome intently. — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 4 Nov. 2026

Brian Gordon has been named executive producer and head of live content at PGA Tour Studios, the latest sign of how the golf organization is focusing more intently on controlling more of its content. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026

Nakira’s mug shot showed a young Black woman with dark hair gathered at the nape of her neck, green eyes staring intently into the camera. — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for intently

• gently