a common intent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a common intent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a shared purpose or goal among a group of people. Example: "The team worked together with a common intent to achieve their project objectives."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

A diverse mixture of people take part, and it's strangely moving to see such a variety of people all with a common intent: nailing their (rainbow) colours to the mast of the human race.

The Guardian

These separate communication activities share a common intent: to transfer care to another provider.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"When there's a large number of criminals and anarchists that have a common purpose and intent to break the law, it's very difficult to stop that," he told reporters Thursday.

The New York Times

Of course, despite several facts -- the common intent to impart a sense of obligation to a higher moral authority; that groups such as OA that employ these rituals share many of the moral precepts; and even that there are historical connections to the founders of OA and other organizations to Freemasonry -- nothing should imply any political connection to Freemasonry itself.

Wikipedia

Although assault was the most common intent for both males and females, a higher proportion of males (61.5%) than females (52.8%) were due to assault.

Injury Epidemiology

Among children, firearm injuries of unintentional intent were the most common, comprising 55.8% of firearm injuries to children aged five and younger and 42.4% of those aged five to 14. From the ages of 15 through 64, assault was the most common intent, followed by unintentional injuries.

Injury Epidemiology

Homicide was the most common intent of the poisoning, and farmers, restaurant staff, and students the most common perpetrators.

BMC Public Health

Taken together, the administrations over which they presided collaborated in pursuing a common agenda, each intent on proving that the post-Cold-War consensus could work in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary.

Huffington Post

A common predictor of intent to leave the hospital and the country was dissatisfaction with extrinsic rewards.

BMC Nursing

In contrast, the culture secretary, John Whittingdale – having already leaked everything of interest to the Sunday Times and the Daily Mail – arrived at the Commons intent on getting the whole charade over and done with as soon as possible.

The Guardian

The incentive for the rational buyer auction is CAISO's intent to adopt a common sense rule of substituting higher-quality lower-cost services for lower-quality higher-cost services, when it results in reduced total procurement cost.

Energy Policy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a common intent", ensure the shared purpose is clearly defined within the context to avoid ambiguity. Specify the intent with a "to + verb" phrase: "a common intent to improve customer satisfaction".

Common error

Avoid using "a common intent" without specifying the intent. Saying "they shared a common intent" is less effective than stating "they shared a common intent to increase sales by 10%."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a common intent" functions as a noun phrase that typically acts as a subject complement or object in a sentence. Ludwig indicates it signifies a shared purpose or aim among individuals or entities. The examples show it expressing a shared goal in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a common intent" signifies a shared purpose or objective, as confirmed by Ludwig. Although the phrase is grammatically sound and understandable, it is not extremely common, appearing more frequently in news, scientific, and wiki contexts. When using "a common intent", it's essential to clearly define the specific intent to avoid vagueness. Alternatives like "a shared goal" or "a united purpose" may be suitable depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a shared goal

Replaces "intent" with a more direct term for aspiration.

a mutual objective

Substitutes "common" with "mutual" and "intent" with "objective", emphasizing shared purpose.

a collective aim

Replaces "common" with "collective" and "intent" with "aim", highlighting group purpose.

a united purpose

Substitutes "common" with "united" and "intent" with "purpose", stressing solidarity in objective.

a joint ambition

Replaces "common" with "joint" and "intent" with "ambition", focusing on a shared aspiration.

a collaborative plan

Emphasizes the cooperative aspect of the intended action.

a consensual design

Focuses on the agreement aspect of the intent.

a concerted effort

Highlights the coordinated action resulting from the intent.

a shared understanding

Shifts the focus to the underlying agreement and comprehension.

a collective strategy

Emphasizes the planned approach to achieving a common goal.

FAQs

How can I use "a common intent" in a sentence?

Use "a common intent" to describe a shared purpose or goal. For example: "The team worked with "a common intent" to deliver the project on time."

What's a good alternative to "a common intent"?

Alternatives include "a shared goal", "a mutual objective", or "a united purpose" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is "a common intent" formal or informal?

"A common intent" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and the overall tone of the communication.

Is it better to say "common intent" or "shared intent"?

Both "common intent" and "shared intent" are acceptable. "Common intent" emphasizes the collective nature, while "shared intent" highlights that the intent is distributed among the participants.