DELIBERATE Synonyms: 140 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'deliberate' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of deliberate are intentional , voluntary , and willing . While all these words mean "done or brought about of one's own will," deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one's act and its consequences. // deliberate acts of sabotage

Q: When is 'intentional' a more appropriate choice than 'deliberate'?

The meanings of intentional and deliberate largely overlap; however, intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved. // the intentional concealment of vital information

Q: When is it sensible to use 'voluntary' instead of 'deliberate'?

In some situations, the words voluntary and deliberate are roughly equivalent. However, voluntary implies freedom and spontaneity of choice or action without external compulsion. // a voluntary confession

Q: Where would 'willing' be a reasonable alternative to 'deliberate'?

While the synonyms willing and deliberate are close in meaning, willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another. // willing obedience

deliberate 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈli-bə-rət

Definition of deliberate

as in considered

decided on as a result of careful thought the judge made a deliberate decision to impose the maximum sentence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in conscious

made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing a deliberate act of vandalism that should not go unpunished

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

deliberate

2 of 2

verb

di-ˈli-bə-ˌrāt

as in to contemplate

to give serious and careful thought to the jury deliberated the case for three days before returning a verdict

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word deliberate different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of deliberate are intentional, voluntary, and willing. While all these words mean "done or brought about of one's own will," deliberate implies full consciousness of the nature of one's act and its consequences.

deliberate acts of sabotage

When is intentional a more appropriate choice than deliberate?

The meanings of intentional and deliberate largely overlap; however, intentional stresses an awareness of an end to be achieved.

the intentional concealment of vital information

When is it sensible to use voluntary instead of deliberate?

In some situations, the words voluntary and deliberate are roughly equivalent. However, voluntary implies freedom and spontaneity of choice or action without external compulsion.

a voluntary confession

Where would willing be a reasonable alternative to deliberate?

While the synonyms willing and deliberate are close in meaning, willing implies a readiness and eagerness to accede to or anticipate the wishes of another.

willing obedience

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of deliberate

Adjective

None of the characters are named beyond a letter, and their age and race are not specified—a deliberate choice by Ireland to avoid validating people’s preconceived ideas regarding victims of abuse. — Carey Purcell, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026 The goal is not to replace clinical trials, but to make every trial more informative and every development decision more deliberate. — Mirjam Trame, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Verb

Oral surgery encompasses a significant range of procedures, making one’s choice of oral surgeon worth deliberating over. — Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026 The Ohio jury deliberated for just two hours Tuesday following a week of trial testimony. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deliberate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deliberate

Adjective

Food and drink Food across the resort’s various restaurants is Greek and local but with a considered twist.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
And Moke was no longer a considered tropical cyclone after skirting Hawaii as a tropical storm, the center said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of considered

Adjective

Going into the referendum, both Goodfriend and Fortich are conscious of the fact that affordability is on people’s minds — and that another high-profile property tax question, Florida’s Amendment 3, is on their ballots.

— Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026
Witnesses reported that Pike complained of pain in her arm and remained conscious after the first dose.

— Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of conscious

Verb

Anderson of Johns Hopkins has been working with a dozen other researchers, through grants from Arnold Ventures, to study prices more and contemplate state-level legislation that mirrors the CBO’s options.

— Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
Batavia city documents suggest this is not the first time a gate at the city boundary has been contemplated, though the city has at various points expressed its preference for having no gates at all and allowing traffic to flow in both directions.

— Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of contemplate

Adjective

In the most extreme, low-probability scenarios, at the very tip of the long tail, the calculated death toll was huge, in the tens of millions.

— Kevin Roose, Vanity Fair, 7 Oct. 2026
For Cruise, playing rancid oil billionaire Digger Rockwell was a calculated gamble.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of calculated

Adjective

The Seal is voluntary and requires manufacturers to apply and submit evidence supporting their claims.

— Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
In reality, the president and the tech leaders signed a voluntary accord that allows the companies to police themselves.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of voluntary

Verb

The school understands that Sanders will still bring eyeballs to their program, but the question of whether this experiment should continue into 2027 is one that deserves to be pondered.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
As fans and critics embraced her ability to snake in and out of R&B with her pop sensibilities, many pondered whether the label knew what to do with such a talent.

— Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of ponder

Adjective

In layman’s terms, critical thinking is the ability to think independently by questioning claims, weighing evidence, and making reasoned judgments.

— Ted Ladd, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
None are credible challengers; Matt Conroy is the more reasoned and moderate of the three.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026

Definition of reasoned

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“Deliberate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deliberate. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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