deliberately

adverb

de·​lib·​er·​ate·​ly di-ˈli-bə-rət-lē How to pronounce deliberately (audio)
-ˈlib-rət-
Synonyms of deliberately
: in a deliberate manner: such as
a
: with full awareness of what one is doing : in a way that is intended or planned
trying deliberately to mislead us
a deliberately harsh review
It's very clear, however, that organizations funded in part by the fossil fuel industry have deliberately tried to undermine the public's understanding of the scientific consensus by promoting a few skeptics.Joel Achenbach
b
: in a way that is not hurried : slowly and carefully
speaking clearly and deliberately
He moves deliberately, almost cautiously, and he speaks with the assurance of someone who is accustomed to being listened to.Alec Wilkinson

Examples of deliberately in a Sentence

deliberately chose to break the rules
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Historical records indicate that dikes were deliberately breached during a military conflict, allowing the swollen Yellow River to inundate the city. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026 Dogan deliberately arranged for Salah’s medical to take place in the metropolis of Istanbul, over 500 miles (nearly 900km) from Trabzon, so the Egyptian could see how frenzied the welcome would be. Nick Miller, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026 The prosecution’s argument Prosecutors argued Clancy was in full control of her faculties at the time of the killings and deliberately planned the murders. Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026 Korn Ferry experts trace the trend partly to leaner HR teams with less bandwidth to keep listings current, alongside some companies deliberately using ghost posts to scout talent or track competitors' hiring. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deliberately

Word History

Etymology

Middle English deliberatly "with due consideration," from deliberate deliberate entry 2 + -ly -ly entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deliberately was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deliberately.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deliberately. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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