deliberately

deliberately — adverb

1. If you do something deliberately, you do it because you intend and choose to do

1.adverbB2
Definition

If you do something deliberately, you do it because you intend and choose to do it — not by accident and not because you had no choice.

Example

Jiwoo deliberately left her phone at home so she could enjoy the hike without distractions.

deliberately + verb in past tense (left)

The company deliberately lowered its prices to attract more customers during the slow season.

Common collocations
  • deliberately chose
  • deliberately ignored
  • deliberately avoided
  • deliberately misled
  • deliberately hurt
  • deliberately kept
  • deliberately left
Synonyms
  • intentionally

    more direct and slightly more formal than deliberately; common in legal and formal contexts

  • on purpose

    informal; used in everyday speech rather than writing

  • knowingly

    emphasises that the person was fully aware of what they were doing, especially when the act is wrong

  • wilfully

    formal or legal; suggests the person acted against a rule or duty

Antonyms
  • accidentally

    the most common opposite; describes something that happens without intention

  • unintentionally

    slightly more formal than accidentally

  • by chance

    emphasises the role of luck or circumstance rather than intention

Grammar Patterns

deliberately + verb

be + deliberately + past participle

Usage Note

Commonly used with action verbs describing choices (choose, ignore, avoid, mislead, hurt). The adverb usually comes before the main verb in active sentences.

Common Mistakes

I didn't do it deliberately, it was a mistake on purpose.
I didn't do it deliberately, it was a mistake.
'deliberately' already means 'on purpose'; using both is redundant.
He deliberately didn't came to the party.
He deliberately didn't come to the party.
after 'didn't', use the base form of the verb.

2. If you move, speak, or act deliberately, you do it in a slow and controlled way,

2.adverbB2
Definition

If you move, speak, or act deliberately, you do it in a slow and controlled way, taking care over each movement or word.

Example

The nurse walked deliberately along the hospital corridor, carrying a tray of medicines.

verb of movement + deliberately (walked deliberately)

Putri spoke deliberately during the interview, choosing each word with care.

Common collocations
  • walked deliberately
  • spoke deliberately
  • moved deliberately
  • acted deliberately
  • sliced deliberately
  • breathed deliberately
Synonyms
  • carefully

    more general; often focuses on avoiding mistakes rather than slowness

  • slowly

    emphasises only speed, not necessarily care or control

  • methodically

    suggests a planned, step-by-step approach, often in work or study

  • cautiously

    emphasises avoiding danger or risk

Antonyms
  • hastily

    doing something too quickly, often with poor results

  • hurriedly

    in a rush, because of limited time

  • carelessly

    without enough attention, leading to mistakes

Grammar Patterns

verb + deliberately

deliberately + verb (less common)

Usage Note

This sense contrasts with 'hastily' or 'carelessly'. It describes not just slowness but also control and attention to detail. Often used with verbs of motion (walk, move, step) or communication (speak, say, explain).

Common Mistakes

She drove deliberately to the store to buy milk.' (when meaning 'on purpose')
She deliberately drove to the store to buy milk.
adverb position shifts the meaning; post-verb position suggests slow/careful, pre-verb position suggests intentional.

Word family

  • deliberate
    adjectiveB2
  • deliberation
    nounC1
  • deliberateness
    nounC1
  • undeliberate
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All five words describe an action done with intent, but they differ in formality and nuance. 'Deliberately' is the most versatile choice for everyday writing and speech; it suggests a conscious decision. 'Intentionally' is more direct and slightly more formal — common in legal and academic writing ('the test was intentionally designed to be difficult'). 'On purpose' is informal and conversational ('She tripped me on purpose!'). 'Knowingly' adds awareness, often of wrongdoing ('He knowingly broke the rules'). 'Wilfully' is the most formal, used in legal contexts to describe deliberate defiance of a rule ('wilfully ignoring the court order'). For most situations, choose 'deliberately' for neutral contexts, 'intentionally' for formal clarity, and 'on purpose' for casual speech.

deliberately ↗intentionally ↗on purpose ↗knowingly ↗wilfully

Common collocations

Phrases

  • deliberately + verb (chose, ignored, avoided, misled)
  • verb + deliberately (walked, spoke, moved, acted)
  • be + deliberately + past participle

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'deliberately' comes from Latin 'deliberatus', the past participle of 'deliberare', which means 'to weigh in the mind' or 'to consider carefully'. 'Deliberare' itself is formed from 'de-' (meaning 'down' or 'away') plus 'librare' (meaning 'to weigh'), which comes from 'libra' (meaning 'a balance or a pair of scales'). So the original image is of weighing something carefully on a scale before deciding — which is why the word developed two related meanings: doing something after careful thought (slowly and carefully), and doing something because you have decided to (intentionally).