intentional
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
done on purpose and not by accident.
done with intention or design; deliberate rather than accidental.
Simple“I am sure his rude comment was intentional and not just a mistake.”
In context“The defense argued that while the damage was extensive, it was not intentional but rather the result of systemic mechanical failure.”
UsageUsually precedes the noun it modifies.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
showing a clear plan or aim in a formal or legal way.
relating to or characterized by conscious intent; in legal contexts, referring to an act committed with a specific mental state.
Simple“The lawyer had to prove that the person's actions were intentional.”
In context“The court must determine whether the defendant's interference with the contract was intentional or merely a byproduct of their own business interests.”
UsageOften appears in phrases like 'intentional tort' or 'intentional harm'.
Teacher's tipIn legal English, this word is used to separate acts of will from acts of negligence.
SynonymsAntonyms
“These variations may not always be intentional, but they can have real impacts on students.”
“However, their presence on an island inhabited by people strongly suggests an intentional and ongoing relationship.”
Borrowed from Medieval Latin intentiōnālis. By surface analysis, intention + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.