deliberate
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.done on purpose and not by accident.
adj.done consciously and intentionally; resulting from a purposeful decision.
Simple“It wasn't a mistake; it was a deliberate attempt to make me look bad.”
In context“The company made a deliberate choice to ignore the safety warnings in order to meet the production deadline.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
adj.slow, calm, and careful in the way you move or speak.
adj.characterised by a slow, unhurried, and careful pace, often to avoid error or to show confidence.
Simple“He spoke in a slow, deliberate voice so that everyone could understand him.”
In context“The surgeon moved with deliberate precision, aware that even a millimetre of error could result in permanent nerve damage.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to think about something very carefully, usually before making an important decision.
v.to engage in long and careful consideration; often used in legal or formal contexts regarding a group decision.
Simple“The jury will now deliberate to decide if the man is guilty or innocent.”
In context“The board of directors spent several hours deliberating the merits of the merger before finally calling for a vote.”
UsageOften used as an intransitive verb when describing a jury or committee.
Synonyms
“When they began deliberating, they had to stay in supervised accommodation, with little to no contact with the outside world, until they reached a decision.”
“And away from its public suggestion that the cuts were necessary because projects were started without funding, internally the STFC believes there has been a deliberate funding shift.”
Inherited from Middle English deliberat(e), borrowed from Latin dēlīberātus, perfect passive participle of dēlīberō (“to consider, weigh well”) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from dē- + līberō / lībrō (“to weigh”)), from libera / libra (“a balance”); see librate. Doublet of deliber.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.