establish the intention

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "establish the intention" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the need to clarify or define a purpose or goal in a particular context. Example: "Before we proceed with the project, it is essential to establish the intention behind our objectives to ensure everyone is aligned."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The purpose of the exhibit is not to bring up facts but to establish the intention, at the very start and at the very center of the Bolshevik project, to subjugate the Ukrainian people.

The New Yorker

First, establish the intention to make a specific change in how you feel, think, or behave.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Second, the original proposals of the teams were reviewed to establish the intentions of the teams' research, capacity building and knowledge transfer, and exchange outcomes and processes.

Global Health Action

This study aims to establish the mobility intention among households of different socioeconomic status (SES) by examining factors pertaining to their life cycle course and housing profiles.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

In this sense, they claim their authentic recordings were socially more "open-ended" and thus engaged mentalizing processes as the listener attempted to establish the speaker's intentions in light of their own past experience.

Cerebral Cortex

(b) As Quentin Skinner has recently emphasized, understanding the linguistic meaning of an utterance or text is only a necessary, not a sufficient, condition for understanding it tout court — one needs, in addition, to establish the author's illocutionary intentions.

SEP

The intention was to establish the UV-H treatment conditions (process criteria) necessary for obtaining a certain level of inactivation of the pathogenic microorganisms of reference.

BioMed Research International

Dome construction did not proceed rapidly after Meigs suspended operations, but it did proceed, and it was vital in establishing the earnest intentions of Walter and the contractors.

The New York Times

At Göttingen University Medicine, a new admission procedure was established with the intention to broaden the base of applicants towards including candidates with previous medical training or lower final school grades.

BMC Medical Education

Back in February, Luxembourg became the first European country to announce their intention to establish the necessary legal and regulatory framework required for in-space commercial mining activities.

TechCrunch

Dating back to the middle of the early 1990's, the Engineering Test Satellite VI (ETS-VI) was developed with a strong intention to establish the AOCS for the applications satellites.

IFAC Proceedings Volumes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "establish the intention", ensure the context clearly defines who is establishing the intention and what the intention pertains to for maximum clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "establish the intention" without specifying whose intention it is. For example, instead of saying "We must establish the intention", specify "We must establish the company's intention" to avoid ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "establish the intention" functions as a purpose connector, often used to introduce or clarify the reason behind an action or decision. As Ludwig AI confirms, it indicates a need to define the goal or purpose.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "establish the intention" serves as a purpose connector, used to emphasize the need for clarity and direction. Ludwig AI analysis confirms the phrase is correct and usable in English, but relatively uncommon. It is versatile enough for use in news, media and scientific contexts, although neutral in register. To ensure clarity, it is crucial to specify whose intention is being established. Alternatives like "define the purpose" or "set the aim" offer similar meanings depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

set the intention

Emphasizes the action of setting a specific intention.

establish the objective

Replaces intention with the word objective. Is focused on setting an object instead of an intention.

define the purpose

Focuses on clarifying the reason for doing something, instead of setting the intent.

determine the objective

Emphasizes figuring out what one aims to achieve.

clarify the goal

Highlights making the desired outcome more explicit.

set the aim

Focuses on the act of defining the target.

specify the objective

Highlights the act of making the objective more clearly.

ascertain the intent

Focuses on discovering the underlying purpose or aim.

confirm the plan

Emphasizes verifying an agreed-upon course of action.

decide on the goal

Highlights the decision-making process in choosing the target.

FAQs

How can I use "establish the intention" in a sentence?

You can use "establish the intention" to express the need to clarify a purpose or goal, such as in the sentence: "Before we proceed, we need to "establish the intention" of this project".

What's the difference between "establish the intention" and "define the goal"?

"Establish the intention" focuses on the underlying purpose, while "define the goal" is about making the objective clear and measurable.

What can I say instead of "establish the intention"?

You can use alternatives like "clarify the purpose", "determine the objective", or "set the aim depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it always necessary to "establish the intention" before starting a project?

While not always explicitly stated, clarifying the underlying "purpose"—essentially "establishing the intention"—helps align efforts and prevent misunderstandings. It is therefore almost always beneficial.