mutual intention

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mutual intention" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is used to indicate the mutual agreement between two or more parties about a particular action or intention. For example: "We reached a mutual intention to meet again in two weeks."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

We reaffirmed our mutual intention to reduce strategic offensive weapons.

The New York Times

The two leaders made a brief joint statement following the visit underscoring their mutual intention to work on security and economic issues.

The Guardian

The problems with this idea are that the facts in Quistclose are not those of a normal illusory trust, and Millett failed to consider the mutual intention of the parties and any underlying contracts.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

After all, the arbitrator serves as the "joint alter ego" of the parties, reaching an outcome in a dispute that is consistent with the parties' mutual intentions as set forth in their bargaining agreement.

Huffington Post

Previous studies have mainly concentrated on explicit social interactions, i.e., with mutual explicit intention to communicate, such as observing conversation10 and playing economic games16,19, where tasks are possibly complicated by both implicit and explicit aspects of the interaction.

Nature

Despite our mutual good intentions in relaunching U.S.-EU relations, Froman said, and great improvement in tone, we continued to talk past each other on some issues.

The Guardian

At the same time, they should offer to engage Moscow in a broad security dialogue on regional security, NATO and the OSCE in which mutual interests and intentions could be clarified and potential disputes averted.

The New York Times

Importantly, there must also be allowance for mutual beliefs and intentions, so that a common ground can be maintained as part of the context and collaboration can take place.

SEP

The researchers believe the difference stems from musical activities which allow the children to experience what they describe as "shared intentionality" and "mutual honesty" - an understanding of each other's intentions through a common aim and experience.

BBC

This book develops a systematic philosophical theory of social action and group phenomena, in the process presenting detailed analyses of such central social notions as 'we-attitude' (especially 'we-intention' and mutual belief, social norm, joint action, and - most important - group goal, group belief, and group action).

Stanford University

Because rhesus macaques are born with the capacity to communicate, Ferrari says, "We can now explore the roots of interpersonal communication, maybe even the mutual appreciation of others' intentions and emotions".

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Place this phrase in sentences where you need to emphasize that the will to act comes from all involved parties equally, rather than being imposed by one.

Common error

Do not confuse "mutual intention" with "mutual affection" or "mutual respect". While those terms describe shared feelings, "mutual intention" specifically refers to a shared plan or goal. Use "mutual intention" only when there is a deliberate aim or future action in mind.

Linguistic Context

In a sentence, "mutual intention" serves as a noun phrase where the adjective "mutual" modifies the noun "intention". According to Ludwig AI, it functions as a way to specify the collaborative nature of a plan. It often appears as the object of a verb like "reaffirm", "underscore" or "revisit".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Academia

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

8%

Encyclopedias

4%

Wiki

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "mutual intention" is a highly formal and precise phrase used to describe a shared plan or state of mind between two or more parties. Ludwig AI indicates that it is a correct and reliable expression, particularly common in high-level discourse such as diplomacy, law and academic philosophy. While it is related to terms like <a href="/s/shared+goal" target="_blank" rel="alternative">shared goal or <a href="/s/common+objective" target="_blank" rel="alternative">common objective, it carries a weight of formal agreement that makes it suitable for professional contexts where clarity of intent is paramount. It should be used when you want to emphasize that all parties are moving toward a specific action with the same purpose.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shared goal

Focuses more on the end result rather than the specific mental state of intending.

common objective

A more business-oriented term for a target that parties want to reach together.

joint resolve

Emphasizes a strong, firm determination shared by both parties.

agreed aim

Suggests that the purpose has been explicitly discussed and settled upon.

bilateral agreement

Moves from a mere intention to a formal, often legal, commitment between two sides.

mutual understanding

A broader term that encompasses shared knowledge and empathy as well as intent.

unified purpose

Suggests a deep, singular direction that aligns multiple parties.

reciprocal desire

Highlights a mutual feeling or wish, which may be less concrete than a formal intention.

consensus

Refers to a general agreement among a group rather than a specific intention between two parties.

concerted effort

Focuses on the active work done together rather than the underlying intention.

FAQs

How do I use "mutual intention" in a sentence?

You can use "mutual intention" to describe a shared plan between parties, for example: "The contract was signed with the <a href="/s/mutual+intention" target="_blank" rel="alternative">mutual intention of expanding into new markets."

What is the difference between "mutual intention" and "shared goal"?

While similar, "mutual intention" is more formal and often used in legal or technical contexts to describe the state of mind of the parties. A <a href="/s/shared+goal" target="_blank" rel="alternative">shared goal is a more general term for the outcome everyone wants to achieve.

Can I use "mutual intention" in business writing?

Yes, it is very effective in business writing to clarify that both sides are in agreement about a future path. You might also consider using <a href="/s/joint+intent" target="_blank" rel="alternative">joint intent for a slightly more concise alternative.

Is it correct to say "mutual intentions" in the plural?

Yes, it is correct. If the parties have multiple different shared goals or plans, you can use the plural <a href="/s/mutual+intentions" target="_blank" rel="alternative">mutual intentions to describe them.