by intent

USAGE SUMMARY

"by intent" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate someone's motivations for a particular action or thought. For example, "He refused to help by intent."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

50 human-written examples

External causes of deaths are classified by intent: unintentional; intentional (suicide/assault); and unknown intent; and also by cause.

BMC Public Health

This pattern appears to differ by intent, such that a greater proportion of intentional injuries occur during the night, while unintentional injury peaks late in the afternoon hours.

Global Health Action

It was not, by intent, a political book.

The New Yorker

Whether by intent or accident, prisons were emptied.

The New Yorker

They understood the inside game while many others were clueless, perhaps by intent.

The New York Times

"Her complaint fell through the cracks, whether by intent or negligence, I don't know," he said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

10 human-written examples

The statistical analysis was performed by intent-to-treat.

BMC Cancer

The overall 1-year survival rate was 29% by intent-to-treat analysis.

British Journal of Cancer

We also examine LC survival by intent-to-screen, in the entire cohort invited to screening.

BMC Cancer

The analysis of Hypothesis 1 will be by intent-to-treat.

BMC Geriatrics

All analysis was done by Intent-to-Treat (i.e., as randomized) principle.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "by intent" to clearly indicate that an action or outcome was not accidental, but rather a deliberate choice or part of a plan.

Common error

Avoid using "by intent" when the intentionality is already clear from the context. Overusing it can make your writing sound redundant or unnatural.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "by intent" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to specify the manner in which an action is performed. It clarifies that the action was carried out deliberately rather than accidentally. Ludwig confirms this accurate usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "by intent" is a prepositional phrase that serves to emphasize the deliberate and purposeful nature of an action. While grammatically correct and approved for usage according to Ludwig, it's more suited for formal or technical contexts where precision is key. Ludwig's examples reveal its presence in scientific and news articles, reinforcing its authoritative usage. When clarity about intentionality is needed, "by intent" is a solid choice, but remember to consider the overall tone of your writing to avoid sounding overly formal. Alternatives like "on purpose" or "intentionally" might be more appropriate in casual settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Intentionally

Focuses solely on the deliberate nature of the action, removing the prepositional structure.

With intention

Rephrases the concept using a slightly more formal tone.

On purpose

A more common and direct way to express intentionality, suitable for informal contexts.

With a specific purpose

Elaborates on the intent by specifying that it is a particular purpose that guides the action.

Deliberately

Emphasizes careful consideration and planning in the action.

By design

Focuses on the planned or structured aspect of the action, rather than simple intent.

Designedly

Highlights that something was done according to a specific design or plan.

Purposely

Stresses that the action was taken with a specific aim or goal in mind.

Knowingly

Implies awareness and understanding of the consequences of the action.

By choice

Highlights the voluntary nature of the action, emphasizing that it was a chosen course.

FAQs

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

Use "by intent" to specify that something was done deliberately or on purpose. For example, "The error was not accidental; it was done "by intent"."

What are some alternatives to "by intent"?

You can use alternatives like "intentionally", "on purpose", or "deliberately" depending on the context.

Is it better to use "by intent" or "on purpose"?

Both "by intent" and "on purpose" convey the idea of doing something deliberately. "On purpose" is more common in everyday language, while "by intent" might be used in more formal or technical contexts.

What's the difference between "by intent" and "by accident"?

"By intent" means something was done deliberately, whereas "by accident" means it happened unintentionally or unexpectedly. They are antonyms.