1
as in purposes
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings; that wasn't my intent
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
the wording was a little unclear, but I think I grasped the intent
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Recent Examples of intents
Steve Kerr’s contract is, for all intents and purposes, history.
—
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2026
Chicago made one more move Saturday signaling its intents to win this season, trading away a 2028 first-round pick for Jacy Sheldon.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2026
So much of her take on this artist in perpetual waiting revolves around sizing situations up, keeping cards close to vests, masking intents, letting tiny ripples in deceptively placid surfaces stand in for big displays.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2026
For all intents and purposes, the playoffs have begun.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
Grace’s victory has prompted a new contest for the high seat of the council, which comes with a nifty sigil ring and the ability to, for all intents and purposes, rule the world.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
The Iranian navy, never impressive, is for all intents and purposes defunct.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Doors that at a glance appeared to be open were for all intents and purposes closed to them.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
Sánchez Bezos, who, for all intents and purposes, is perhaps somewhat of a neo-Melania—the woman who married the ultimate billionaire du jour—has also graced a Vogue cover in her wedding dress.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 4 Mar. 2026
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 18 Apr. 2026
Chicago made one more move Saturday signaling its intents to win this season, trading away a 2028 first-round pick for Jacy Sheldon.
—Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2026
So much of her take on this artist in perpetual waiting revolves around sizing situations up, keeping cards close to vests, masking intents, letting tiny ripples in deceptively placid surfaces stand in for big displays.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2026
For all intents and purposes, the playoffs have begun.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
Grace’s victory has prompted a new contest for the high seat of the council, which comes with a nifty sigil ring and the ability to, for all intents and purposes, rule the world.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
The Iranian navy, never impressive, is for all intents and purposes defunct.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Doors that at a glance appeared to be open were for all intents and purposes closed to them.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
Sánchez Bezos, who, for all intents and purposes, is perhaps somewhat of a neo-Melania—the woman who married the ultimate billionaire du jour—has also graced a Vogue cover in her wedding dress.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intents
Noun
-
Princess Elizabeth and her family toured the Sandringham Park grounds, which were being used for agricultural purposes to contribute to the war efforts, in August 1943.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
But as soon as one flagellar motor reverses direction and starts rotating clockwise, the bundle falls apart; the reverse-twirling filament unravels the braid and puts the cell’s flagellar motors at cross-purposes, kicking the cell around.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But fights are just as integral to the Netflix show created by Lee Sung Jin, and the series’ sound team needed to do even more meticulous work building visceral senses of anger, stress, and dread that slowly swallow up the characters and steer them into making a compounding set of poor decisions.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
-
And there’s nothing like the disorienting effect of standing in darkness in an unfamiliar place to quicken the senses and sharpen the ear.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
All of Tinley Park’s goals were scored by sophomores.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
-
As the Moon moves through Cancer, your focus shifts to friends, group dynamics, and shared goals.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Such incongruence between actions and intentions can also bring about feelings of guilt.—
Becca Stanek,
TheWeek,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Closer to home, Jolly does not hide his intentions for Florida.—
Thomas C. Shank,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Your itinerary, your accommodation and your plans are wrapped up in those booking details, and now someone else may have a copy.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The Royals plan to build an entertainment district around the stadium to generate steady profits, though the depths of those plans are not yet clear.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The contradiction in these meanings is an apt metaphor for Can’s visionary approach to her work and her singular voice among the generation of experimental Chinese writers who emerged in the 1980s.—
René Ostberg,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Words and sounds, symbols and meanings, are the essence of her artistic practice.—
Chal Ravens,
Pitchfork,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Its aims instead are centered squarely on the importance of Josh and Melissa’s romance, the value in getting one partner to open up for another.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Higher learning belongs to everyone and CHILL at IPH aims to foster a welcoming space for curiosity and growth.—
Independent Picture House,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
It’s also outfitted with three interior compartments to keep your wallet, phone, keys, and other contents organized on the go.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
-
To push back on its contents, Stewart recorded an interview with House on Thursday, April 16.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Intents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intents. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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