that was intended

USAGE SUMMARY

"that was intended" is a perfectly grammatically correct and usable phrase in written English.
You could use the phrase in a variety of contexts. For example, you could say "I said something I didn't mean, that was not intended".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This is not the final chapter that was intended.

The Guardian

"I know the way that was intended," he said.

The New York Times - Sports

This was actually a talking point and narrative that was intended to protect Trump.

The Washington Post

An image from an ad that was intended for Mr. Bloomberg's campaign.

The New York Times

On her hip is a Chinese symbol that was intended to read "rebellious" but says "strange".

The Guardian

Our content can't have embedded presentation markup that was intended for only one platform.

Harvard Business Review

It began life as a Norwegian service that was intended to compete with Spotify.

The New Yorker

It's an antiquated system that was intended to stop ordinary people from actually choosing the president.

The New York Times

An assembly that was intended to reflect the diversity of political opinion was established in 1982.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In this case, hackers used a malicious virus that was intended to inflict more harm.

The New York Times

Goldman was accused of creating a mortgage product that was intended to fail.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "that was intended", ensure the context clearly indicates what the intention was and who held that intention. This avoids ambiguity and strengthens the sentence's clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "that was intended" without explicitly stating or implying what the intention was. Vague usage can confuse the reader. Be explicit about the goal or purpose.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that was intended" functions as a relative clause modifying a noun or pronoun. It provides additional information by specifying the purpose or planned use of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, the expression is valid.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Wiki

7%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "that was intended" functions as a relative clause, clarifying the purpose or planned use of something in the past. It is considered grammatically correct and very common, as validated by Ludwig AI, appearing frequently in news, science, and encyclopedia sources. While "that was intended" carries a neutral register suitable for diverse contexts, ensure the intention is clearly stated to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as ""which was designed"" or ""that was meant to"" can provide subtle variations in tone and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

which was designed

Uses "designed" to convey the purpose or plan, rather than "intended".

that was meant to

Replaces "intended" with "meant to", offering a slightly more informal tone.

which was supposed to

Employs "supposed to" implying an expectation or plan, similar to "intended".

that was designated

Substitutes "intended" with "designated", suggesting a more formal or official purpose.

that was planned

Focuses on the planning aspect, rather than the intention.

that was created for

Highlights the creation aspect with a specific objective.

which aimed to

Uses "aimed to" to emphasize the goal or objective.

that was envisioned

Emphasizes the vision or concept behind the intention.

that was proposed

Indicates that the intention was formally suggested or put forward.

that was scheduled

Implies that the intention was part of an organized timetable or program.

FAQs

How can I use "that was intended" in a sentence?

You can use "that was intended" to describe the purpose or goal behind something. For example, "The gift "that was intended" for her birthday arrived late".

What are some alternatives to "that was intended"?

Some alternatives include "which was designed", "that was meant to", or "that was planned" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "that is intended" instead of "that was intended"?

Yes, both are grammatically correct but they have different meanings. "That is intended" refers to a current intention, while "that was intended" refers to a past intention.

What's the difference between "that was intended" and "that was supposed to"?

"That was intended" emphasizes the purpose or plan, while "that was supposed to" implies an expectation or obligation. For example, "The software "that was intended" to improve efficiency failed to do so," versus "The software that was supposed to be installed yesterday is still not ready.