intention

[ in-ten-shuhn ]

noun

1. an act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result.
2. the end or object intended; purpose.

   Synonyms: goal

3. intentions,
   1. purpose or attitude toward the effect of one's actions or conduct:

      a bungler with good intentions.

   2. purpose or attitude with respect to marriage:

      Our friends are beginning to ask what our intentions are.

4. the act or fact of intending.
5. Logic.
   1. Also called first intention, reference by signs, concepts, etc., to concrete things, their properties, classes, or the relationships among them.
   2. Also called second intention, reference to properties, classes, or the relationships among first intentions.
6. Surgery, Medicine/Medical. a manner or process of healing, as in the healing of a lesion or fracture without granulation healing by first intention or the healing of a wound by granulation after suppuration healing by second intention.
7. meaning or significance:

   The intention of his words was clear.

8. the person or thing meant to benefit from a prayer or religious offering.
9. Archaic. intentness.

intention

/ ɪnˈtɛnʃən /

noun

1. a purpose or goal; aim

   it is his intention to reform

2. law the resolve or design with which a person does or refrains from doing an act, a necessary ingredient of certain offences
3. med a natural healing process, as by first intention , in which the edges of a wound cling together with no tissue between, or by second intention , in which the wound edges adhere with granulation tissue
4. usually plural design or purpose with respect to a proposal of marriage (esp in the phrase honourable intentions )
5. an archaic word for meaning intentness

Other Words From

• in·ten·tion·less adjective
• mis·in·ten·tion noun
• pre·in·ten·tion noun
• sub·in·ten·tion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of intention¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English intencio(u)n, from Latin intentiōn- (stem of intentiō ). See intent ², -ion

Synonym Study

Intention, intent, purpose all refer to a wish that one means to carry out. Intention is the general word: His intention is good. Intent is chiefly legal or literary: attack with intent to kill. Purpose implies having a goal or determination to achieve something: Her strong sense of purpose is reflected in her studies.

Example Sentences

“The destruction is so substantial that it indicates the intention to permanently displace many people,” it warns.

From BBC

“What JD Vance saw a little bit later, is what tens of millions of Americans are facing now, because of the opioid crisis, and frankly, not because of ill intention by people who want big government, I'm going to ascribe good motives there, but government has displaced the very factors that allowed me to flourish: family, friends, communities, churches, civic organizations,” Roberts said.

From Salon

According to federal officials, it was Filion’s intention to cause large-scale deployment of police and emergency services units at targeted locations.

From Los Angeles Times

At the very least, one can expect hundreds of intelligence professionals to resign—which may be Trump’s intention.

From Slate

We’re simply using the camera as a tool to document our lives without much intention of actually remembering every little thing.

From Slate

Related Words

• aim
• hope
• motive
• objective
• plan
• purpose