intentionally
intentionally — adverb
1. done because the person meant to do it, having thought about it ahead of time an
done because the person meant to do it, having thought about it ahead of time and chosen to act that way — the opposite of something happening by accident or without thinking.
Theo intentionally left his phone at home so he would not be distracted during the exam.
intentionally + verb for planned action
The artist intentionally chose bright colours to make the painting feel warm and cheerful.
Dr. Okafor smiled and said that she had not intentionally hurt anyone during the meeting.
The old wooden chair was not broken intentionally — it simply collapsed under the weight.
Hana intentionally avoided the busy road by taking a quiet path through the park.
- deliberately
very close in meaning; 'deliberately' often stresses that the person took time to think before acting
- on purpose
informal phrase; 'intentionally' is more neutral in register
- knowingly
emphasises that the person was aware of the consequences or facts
- purposely
focuses on the specific goal the person had in mind
- accidentally
the most direct opposite — something done by mistake, not by plan
- unintentionally
the formal antonym; used especially in legal or professional contexts
- involuntarily
describes actions done without conscious choice, like a sneeze or a reflex
文法句型
intentionally + verb
verb + intentionally
not + intentionally
用法筆記
Pairs with verbs that describe controllable actions (leave, choose, hurt, break, avoid, ignore). Often used in the negative ('not intentionally') to say something happened by accident. The adverb can sit before or after the verb; the pre-verb position ('intentionally left') is slightly more common in everyday speech.