deliberate
dih-LIHB-ruht
Deliberate (adjective) means Done on purpose; intentional. Example: “The delay appeared to be a deliberate attempt to frustrate negotiations.”
adjective
1
Done on purpose; intentional.
"The delay appeared to be a deliberate attempt to frustrate negotiations."
"It was a deliberate choice to keep the design simple."
"Spilling the juice was no accident; it was a deliberate act of mischief."
verb
1
To think carefully about something before deciding.
"The jury deliberated for six hours before reaching a verdict."
"We deliberated over the menu for ages before we finally ordered."
"The council will deliberate on the new parking rules next week."
How to use deliberate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething done on purpose, or the careful act of weighing up a decision.
Common mistake
As an adjective it's stressed di-LIB-er-it; as a verb, di-LIB-er-ayt.
Common pairings
a deliberate act
deliberate on a verdict
deliberate choice
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- deliberates
- Past tense
- deliberated
- Comparative
- more deliberate
- Superlative
- most deliberate
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The delay appeared to be a _____ attempt to frustrate negotiations.
Etymology
From Latin deliberare, "to weigh carefully" — built from de- plus librare, "to balance."
Synonyms
View more →
premeditated
calculated
willful
knowing
intentional
measured
careful
debate
moot
consider
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:ponder
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for deliberate
See all rhymes for deliberate →Frequently asked questions
What does “deliberate” mean?
The word “deliberate” means done on purpose; intentional. In plain terms, something done on purpose, or the careful act of weighing up a decision.
How do you pronounce “deliberate”?
“Deliberate” is pronounced dih-LIHB-ruht (/dɪˈlɪb.ɚ.ət/ in IPA).
How do you use “deliberate” in a sentence?
Here is “deliberate” used in a sentence: “The delay appeared to be a deliberate attempt to frustrate negotiations.”
What is another word for “deliberate”?
Words with a similar meaning to “deliberate” include Synonyms: see Thesaurus:ponder.
What part of speech is “deliberate”?
Depending on how it is used, “deliberate” can be an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “deliberate” come from?
The word “deliberate” comes from Latin. From Latin deliberare, "to weigh carefully" — built from de- plus librare, "to balance.".
Is “deliberate” a common word?
“Deliberate” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “deliberate” have?
“Deliberate” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: done on purpose; intentional.
What is the difference between deliberate and accidental?
Deliberate describes something done on purpose, with intention and awareness, while accidental describes something that happens unintentionally, by chance or mistake. The two words are direct opposites when describing an action's cause.
How is deliberate used differently as an adjective and a verb?
As an adjective, deliberate describes an action that is intentional, as in 'a deliberate insult.' As a verb, it means to think carefully about something before making a decision, as in 'the jury deliberated for hours.'
Does deliberate always imply something negative?
No, deliberate simply means intentional rather than accidental; it can describe positive, neutral, or negative actions. Context, such as 'a deliberate act of kindness' versus 'a deliberate lie,' determines the tone.
