Words / B1

di-LIB-uh-r-uh-tlee/dɪˈlɪbərətli/

Deliberately means on purpose: deliberately ignore; deliberately misleading. Deliberate is the adjective (already in the dictionary). Accidentally is the opposite. Intentionally is a close twin. Do not spell it delibarately. Inquests and exams both ask whether harm was deliberate.

Meaning

On purpose, not by accident.

Examples

• “The witness said the driver had braked deliberately.”
• “The graph was deliberately cropped to hide the drop.”

Good to know

deliberately + verb. Adjective: deliberate. Opposite: accidentally. Close: intentionally. Spelling: deliberately (two e’s in -ately).

Near in meaning

intentionally

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