1
as in goals
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
her intention is to climb the highest peak in each of the 50 states
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in senses
the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action
she was uncertain of the intention of his frantic gesturing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of intentions
Good intentions run into craven expectations, however, and invariably, the types of terrible choices and consequences that, in Soto’s admirably unsentimental narrative style, wouldn’t be out of place in either a silent-era disaster comedy or a darkly tragic indie.
—
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
The Full Moon in Leo is a divine time to set intentions and manifest.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 30 Jan. 2026
Their bandwidth for college and career planning, despite the best intentions, is limited.
—Brennan Barnard, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Barrera, who had proposed the further meetings last month, said after the meetings that the benefit of speaking with developers was that the board could make its intentions clearer and would be able to push developers.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
Locked doors, bloody bits in trunks, deceptive lovers with ill intentions.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Sometimes, best intentions can go awry.
—Arpon Basu, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Kansas and Missouri have spent the past 18 months trying to secure the team through sweeping stadium-funding incentives packages — which the Chiefs used last month to announce their intentions for a move to Kansas.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2026
Sutton, however, does think Amanda’s intentions are bad.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2026
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
The Full Moon in Leo is a divine time to set intentions and manifest.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 30 Jan. 2026
Their bandwidth for college and career planning, despite the best intentions, is limited.
—Brennan Barnard, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Barrera, who had proposed the further meetings last month, said after the meetings that the benefit of speaking with developers was that the board could make its intentions clearer and would be able to push developers.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
Locked doors, bloody bits in trunks, deceptive lovers with ill intentions.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Sometimes, best intentions can go awry.
—Arpon Basu, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Kansas and Missouri have spent the past 18 months trying to secure the team through sweeping stadium-funding incentives packages — which the Chiefs used last month to announce their intentions for a move to Kansas.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 28 Jan. 2026
Sutton, however, does think Amanda’s intentions are bad.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intentions
Noun
-
China continues to expand nuclear energy to meet rising electricity demand and climate goals.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
-
United are still conceding too many goals — 34 in 23 games — which is more than any club in the top 12.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But just that movement requires a mind-boggling coordination of muscles, joints and senses – Rowley estimates that a simple step-touch involves 40 muscles.—
Luis Melecio-Zambrano,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
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Complicating matters is the fact that Maddie is deaf and mute, forcing her to utilize her other senses to stop the killer from claiming her as his next victim.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Mike James, general manager of SentryWorld and vice president of Sentry Insurance, and director of golf Danny Rainbow elaborated on the plans for the renovations — to be led Jay Blasi, who oversaw the massive overhaul of the course in 2013.—
Jeff Goudy,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
However, the killing of two people by federal agents in recent weeks has refocused plans.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Everyone seemed to be interested in exploring the fabric of the city, trying to excavate its strange atmospheres and hidden meanings.—
Hari Kunzru,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Must all phenomena have meanings upon meanings?—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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For clarity purposes, the figures below assume that the full line of credit is borrowed immediately and then repaid (and that the interest rate remains constant).—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Trump has tried to extract billions of dollars from universities and has succeeded in squeezing more than $400 million from four of them — Brown, Columbia, Cornell and Northwestern — for purposes of his choosing.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For all intents and purposes, the company was spinning its wheels.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Jan. 2026
-
For all intents and purposes, that was the game.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Keefe, his assistant coaches and team officials could not continue to preach those objectives without holding Whitmore accountable.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Here again, his objectives collide.—
Javier Corrales,
Time,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The comic book was stolen from Cage’s Los Angeles home in 2000 but was recovered in 2011 when it was found by a man who had purchased the contents of an old storage locker in southern California.—
Bruce Shipkowski,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Jan. 2026
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Although at least the cake shows you its contents.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Intentions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intentions. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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