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intent

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of intent

1 fully committed to achieving a goal

  • intent on finishing her sculpture in time for the group show
Synonyms of intent

bent (on or upon), bound, decisive, determined, do-or-die, firm, hell-bent (on or upon), out, purposeful, resolute, resolved, set, single-minded
Words Related to intent

bitter, vehement

certain, cocksure, confident, positive, sure

earnest, serious

steady, unfaltering, unhesitating, unswerving, unwavering

adamant, adamantine, dogged, hard, hardened, hardheaded, headstrong, immovable, implacable, inflexible, mulish, obdurate, persistent, pertinacious, perverse, pigheaded, rigid, self-willed, stubborn, tenacious, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding, willful (or wilful)
Phrases Synonymous with intent

on one's mettle
Near Antonyms of intent

distrustful, doubtful, dubious, mistrustful, skeptical, suspicious, uncertain, unconvinced, undecided, unsettled, unsure

disinclined, indisposed, loath (also loth), reluctant
Antonyms of intent

faltering, hesitant, indecisive, irresolute, undetermined, unresolved, vacillating, wavering, weak-kneed

2 having the mind fixed on something

  • he was so intent on his work that he didnʼt hear the dog bark
Synonyms of intent

absorbed, attentive, deep, engrossed, enthralled, focused (also focussed), immersed, observant, rapt
Words Related to intent

engaged, interested, intrigued, involved

hypnotized, mesmerized

alert, alive, conscious, open-eyed, watchful, wide-awake
Phrases Synonymous with intent

all ears
Near Antonyms of intent

daydreaming, dreamy, faraway, foggy, hazy, lost, oblivious, preoccupied, remote

apathetic, disinterested, uninterested
Antonyms of intent

absent, absentminded, abstracted, distracted, inattentive, inobservant, unabsorbed, unfocused (also unfocussed)

intent

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of intent

1 something that one hopes or intends to accomplish

  • Iʼm sorry that I hurt your feelings; that wasnʼt my intent
Synonyms of intent

aim, ambition, aspiration, bourne (also bourn), design, dream, end, goal, idea, ideal, intention, mark, meaning, object, objective, plan, point, pretension, purpose, target, thing
Words Related to intent

grail, holy grail

plot, project, scheme

desire, hope, mind, wish

nirvana

destination, terminus
Phrases Synonymous with intent

name of the game
Near Antonyms of intent

means, method, way

2 the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action

  • the wording was a little unclear, but I think I grasped the intent
Synonyms of intent

content, denotation, drift, import, intention, meaning, purport, sense, significance, signification
Words Related to intent

connotation

clue, cue, hint, implication, indication, inkling, intimation, suggestion

message, tenor, theme

bottom, essence, essentiality, nature, soul, spirit, stuff

acceptance, acceptation, definition

burden, crux, gist

core, heart, kernel, marrow, nub, nucleus, pith, point, quick

matter, motif, motive, question, subject, topic

Synonym Discussion of 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

Learn More about intent

  1. See words that rhyme with intent Dictionary: Definition of intent Spanish Central: Translation of intent Nglish: Translation of intent for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of intent for Arabic speakers

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