# intended

/ˌɪnˈtɛndɪd/ (US) · /ɪntˈɛndɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/intended
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. planned or deliberate

adjective · CEFR B2

planned or meant to happen in a certain way.

For teachers: planned, deliberate, or designed for a specific purpose or effect.

- The intended effect of the new law was to reduce plastic waste.
- While the intended outcome was a reduction in overhead costs, the restructuring inadvertently led to a significant drop in employee morale.

### 2. meant for a specific person

adjective · CEFR B2

meant for a particular person or group.

For teachers: targeted toward or meant for a specific recipient or audience.

- This gift was intended for my sister, but I gave it to my mother instead.
- The marketing campaign was primarily intended for young professionals living in urban areas who value convenience over price.

### 3. a person one plans to marry

noun · CEFR C1 · Humorous · Formal

the person you are engaged to marry.

For teachers: a person to whom one is betrothed or engaged to be married.

- I would like you to meet my intended, Sarah.
- He spoke of his intended with a level of devotion that suggested the wedding could not come soon enough for him.

## Examples

- I intended to call you yesterday but I forgot.
- The architect intended the open space to be used for community gatherings and local markets.
- Although the policy was intended to reduce administrative overhead, it initially created a significant amount of confusion among the staff members.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.