as in earnestness
a mental state free of jesting or trifling
studied the dance steps with obvious intentness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intentness
Noun
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Hence, this nimble, propulsive movie, given a loose intimacy by Juan Sarmiento’s 16mm cinematography, proves to be oddly heartfelt when seemingly most cruel about Oscar’s hapless earnestness.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026 -
With a sprinkle of '80s nonsensical wit, Splash is an easy-breezy watch that finds its place in the sun by being ridiculously campy while grounding itself in earnestness, thanks to Hanks and Hannah's bewitching lead performances.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Most agree that simple gravity took over afterward.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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Both parties are being pulled into this gravity well.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The parallel: Reid had known Spagnuolo for decades, starting in earnest when Reid was an assistant coach at Mizzou and Spagnuolo was a frequent visitor.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
21 Jan. 2026
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Negotiations to establish the bank started in earnest in 2014, as several Asian economies like India and Indonesia chose to join the new institution as members.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
14 Dec. 2025
Noun
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In the years following Wallace’s death, this aura of saintliness likely derived from the combination of his moral seriousness as a fiction writer—his attunement to the heroism of private suffering and emotional endurance—and the fact of his premature end.—
Hermione Hoby,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
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Teshuva requires internal reflection, genuine remorse, and an acknowledgement of the seriousness of harm caused.—
Guila Benchimol,
New York Daily News,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Since then, Máxima has reserved it for state dinners and high-level diplomatic events, combining it with contemporary styles that allow the rubies to stand out without stiffness or excessive solemnity.—
Marta Martínez Tato,
Vanity Fair,
25 Jan. 2026
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Zohran Mamdani’s genial grin would have seemed unsustainably mild in the angry eighties, when Koch’s sarcasm fenced with Giuliani’s snarl, occasionally relieved by Mario Cuomo’s solemnity.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Your decisiveness invites others to join you.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
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Quiet leaders know when restraint will serve the moment and when decisiveness is necessary.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Yet his playing had an otherworldly serenity that contrasted with Williams’s gentle purposefulness.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
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This month also reconnects you with a sense of purposefulness.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Steady, intentional eye contact conveys attentiveness and respect.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Good care requires a level of presence and attentiveness that just can’t be scaled.—
Jen Zamzow,
The Conversation,
17 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Intentness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intentness. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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