Word
intentionally
Phoneticsin·ten·tion·al·ly, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪnˈtɛnʃənəɫi/
UK/ɪntˈɛnʃənəli/
Adverb of manner
Definition
adv. on purpose. You use this when someone does something because they planned to do it, not by accident.
adv. done in a deliberate or purposeful manner. Often used to assign responsibility or agency to an action.
Examples
“He intentionally left his phone at home.”
“The lawyer argued that the defendant intentionally damaged the property to collect the insurance money.”
“While some errors in the manuscript were accidental, the author intentionally omitted certain controversial details to avoid legal repercussions from the estate.”
Examples
simple
“He intentionally left his phone at home.”
contextual
“The lawyer argued that the defendant intentionally damaged the property to collect the insurance money.”
complex
“While some errors in the manuscript were accidental, the author intentionally omitted certain controversial details to avoid legal repercussions from the estate.”
Usage
Typically placed before the main verb or at the end of the clause.
Pitfall
He did it intentional
He did it intentionally
Learners often use the adjective form 'intentional' when an adverb is required to modify the verb.
Real-World Examples
“For many young couples, especially those raising children, exercising together may require intentionally carving out time.” “Google doesn’t want to give people an easy path to attack SynthID, so access is intentionally limited.” Etymology
From intentional + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/intentionally