What does "intend" mean?
To fix the mind upon (something, or something to be accomplished); be intent upon
Intend
/ɪnˈtɛnd/ verb
verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To fix the mind upon (something, or something to be accomplished); be intent upon
- Grammar: intend is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: mean, add up to, aim, aim.
- Useful contrasts: chance, chance of, mischance.
- Usage evidence: I'm feeling ill, but I intend to go out anyhow.
How to use "intend"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "intend" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "intend" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "intend" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "intend" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "intend" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "mean" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "intend", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To fix the mind upon (something, or something to be accomplished); be intent upon ambitransitive, usually
"He intends to go to university."
- 2 have in mind as a purpose wordnet
- 3 To fix the mind on; attend to; take care of; superintend; regard.
- 4 design or destine wordnet
- 5 To stretch to extend; distend. obsolete
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 denote or connote wordnet
- 7 To strain; make tense.
- 8 mean or intend to express or convey wordnet
- 9 To intensify; strengthen. obsolete
"Dotage, fatuity, or folly […] is for the most part intended or remitted in particular men, and thereupon some are wiser than others […]."
- 10 To apply with energy.
- 11 To bend or turn; direct, as one’s course or journey.
- 12 To design mechanically or artistically; fashion; mold.
- 13 To pretend; counterfeit; simulate.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"I'm feeling ill, but I intend to go out anyhow."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "intend"?
Common synonyms include: mean, add up to, aim, aim, aim at, aim to.
How do you use "intend" in a sentence?
I'm feeling ill, but I intend to go out anyhow.
How do you pronounce "intend"?
Pronounced /ɪnˈtɛnd/.
Etymology
From Middle English intenden, entenden (“direct (one’s) attention towards”), borrowed from Old French entendre, from Latin intendō, intendere. See also intensive. Doublet of entendre. Largely displaced native Old English myntan (“to mean, intend; to think, suppose”), whence dialectal mint.