with what intention

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "with what intention" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when inquiring about the purpose or motive behind an action or statement. Example: "I would like to understand with what intention you made that decision."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It depends from what point of view you are looking and with what intention, when you set out to reach a verdict.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

They are largely neutral, but it all depends on whose hands they are in and with what intentions they are being used.

The Guardian

It actually ended up being a lot harder than I thought it would be whenever you're working on a remix, and you love the original song, sometimes there's a danger of you being a bit too reverential and getting caught up with what their intention was originally.

Vice

Where the former let you plan far ahead and Foursquare lets you broadcast where you're at when you're there, Gulu focuses on spur-of-the-moment event planning with what they call "intention broadcasting".

TechCrunch

He actually played paddle ball with the tremelo bar, holding the Strat straight out, flat, in front of him, by the trem bar, and shaking the bar with what seemed the intention of snapping it off.

Huffington Post

"I don't immediately jump to the conclusion that people are having bad intentions with what they are saying," Carlig told the AP.

Huffington Post

So the show is really for everyone because the young people who are in the show are remarkable with amazing back stories and good intentions with what they are going to do with the winnings.

Huffington Post

When taking this approach it is not the objective to "guess" the participants' intentions with what is narrated, but instead to present what the text (the narratives) opens for, between the text and the interpreter [ 36] p. 152, [ 38] p. 70: The analysis of the narratives was carried out at three levels.

BMC Health Services Research

So in early 2016, the team built its own event management software, with what Andersen said was "no intention of anyone else using it".

TechCrunch

With what appears to be clear intention, elephants have been observed to throw or drop large rocks and logs on the live wires of electric fences, either breaking the wire or loosening it such that it makes contact with the earth, thus shorting out the fence.

Huffington Post

"It is not our intention to conflict with what publishers are already doing," she said.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "with what intention" when you want to understand the underlying purpose or motivation behind someone's actions or decisions. It invites a deeper exploration of their reasoning.

Common error

Avoid using "with what intention" in casual conversations. It can sound overly formal or even accusatory. Consider using simpler phrases like "why" or "what's the reason" in less formal contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "with what intention" functions as an interrogative phrase, typically used to inquire about the purpose or motive behind an action. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and serves to prompt a deeper understanding of someone's reasoning.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

11%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Formal & Business

7%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "with what intention" is a grammatically correct interrogative phrase used to inquire about the purpose or motive behind an action. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, though its frequency is rare. Predominantly found in News & Media and Science, it serves to elicit explanations and uncover motivations. While useful in formal contexts, simpler alternatives might be more appropriate for casual settings. Understanding its usage helps to communicate and interpret information more accurately. Consider alternatives like "for what reason" or "with what motive" depending on the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

for what reason

Replaces "intention" with "reason", focusing on the cause or explanation.

with what motive

Substitutes "intention" with "motive", emphasizing the underlying reason for an action.

with what purpose

Uses "purpose" instead of "intention", highlighting the aim or goal.

what was the intention

Restructures the phrase into a question about a specific intention.

what is the goal

Focuses on the desired outcome or objective.

what is the aim

Highlights the target or objective one is trying to achieve.

why do you intend to

Asks directly about the reason behind a planned action.

toward what end

Uses more formal language to inquire about the desired outcome.

what are the objectives

Shifts the focus to specific objectives instead of a general intention.

with what objective in mind

Expands the phrase to explicitly mention the thought process behind the intention.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "with what intention" to sound less formal?

In informal contexts, you can use phrases like "why", "what for", or "what's the reason". For example, instead of "With what intention did you say that?", you could say "Why did you say that?" or "What was that for?"

Is "with what intention" interchangeable with "for what purpose"?

While similar, "with what intention" focuses more on the mental state or motivation, whereas "for what purpose" is more about the objective or goal. They can often be used interchangeably, but the nuance differs slightly depending on the context. You can also use "with what motive".

When is it appropriate to use "with what intention" in writing?

Use "with what intention" in formal writing, legal documents, or analytical pieces where you need to understand the underlying motivations or purposes behind actions or statements. It's suitable when a deeper inquiry into someone's reasoning is needed.

What's the difference between "with what intention" and "what was the intention"?

"With what intention" is a more direct and probing question, often implying a desire to understand the current or ongoing purpose. "What was the intention" ("what was the intention") refers to a past or completed action, seeking to understand the original motivation behind it.