as in earnestness
a mental state free of jesting or trifling
studied the dance steps with obvious intentness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intentness
Noun
-
The earnestness transferred into the character and lifted it.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026 -
Critically blasted but massively popular with audiences, this dream project is the height of kitsch, somehow made palatable by Richard’s characteristic earnestness.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The venue change made for a tidy metaphor, but this was a shift in gravity.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Defying gravity, The Rookie Season 8 premiere was up from last season’s premiere in MP+3 viewership, ranking as the show’s biggest premiere on streaming and among Top 5 ABC premieres of all time.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The guard's Basij force likely was key in putting down the demonstrations, starting in earnest from Jan. 8, when authorities cut off the internet and international telephone calls for the nation of 85 million people.—
SAM McNEIL AND JON GAMBRELL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The film fully wears its heart on its sleeve, telling an earnest (if familiar) story of love and commitment through hardship.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There’s a seriousness about her.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Yet, as stretched as Newcastle’s squad is, their progress in so many competitions also reflects the seriousness with which Howe is taking them all.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
To that point, Lent is not all solemnity.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
On February 10, after notching a silver in the men’s classic sprint, Ogden–six feet tall and lanky, with a bushy mustache–broke the solemnity of the medals ceremony.—
Bill Donahue,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Your decisiveness invites others to join you.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Quiet leaders know when restraint will serve the moment and when decisiveness is necessary.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Yet his playing had an otherworldly serenity that contrasted with Williams’s gentle purposefulness.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
-
This month also reconnects you with a sense of purposefulness.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There’s so much attentiveness and wholehearted care that goes into not just showing off, but embodying the resort itself.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Steady, intentional eye contact conveys attentiveness and respect.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Intentness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intentness. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
