deliberate
gb/dɪlˈɪbɚɪt/ us/dɪlˈɪbɚɪt/
B2
English
~ 5500
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
intentional, not accidental
Done on purpose, after thinking, and not by accident.
Usage pattern:
a deliberate [action/decision/choice/attempt]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse the adjective 'deliberate' with the adverb 'deliberately'. Use 'deliberate' before a noun (a deliberate lie) and 'deliberately' to describe an action (He lied deliberately). Some also mix it up with 'delicate', which instead means 'easily broken' or 'sensitive'.
Synonyms
intentional (The most direct and neutral equivalent; often interchangeable in this sense.)
|
purposeful (Suggests strong purpose or aim; can sound slightly more positive than 'deliberate'.)
Antonyms
accidental (Describes something that happens by chance, not by plan or intention.)
|
unintentional (Emphasizes that there was no plan or desire to cause the action or result.)
Collocations
deliberate attempt
|deliberate choice
|deliberate decision
|deliberate act
|deliberate lie
|deliberate attack
Themes
thinking
|law
|behavior
|ethics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The jury decided that the shooting was a deliberate act.
- Her remark was not careless; it was completely deliberate.
- He made a deliberate choice to ignore the warning signs.
- The hackers carried out a deliberate attack on the company’s servers.
- Publishing those photos without permission was a deliberate violation of her privacy.
Learner examples
- It was a deliberate lie, not a simple mistake.
- She made a deliberate plan to move to another country.
- Breaking the window was not deliberate; it was an accident.
- His words were deliberate and very hurtful.
Verb
formal
C1
action
2
think carefully before deciding
To think carefully about something before you decide or say what to do.
Usage pattern:
to deliberate [about/on/over] [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'deliberate' without a preposition, saying *'deliberate the problem about'* instead of 'deliberate about the problem'. Use 'deliberate about/on/over + noun'. They may also confuse this verb with the adjective meaning 'intentional', for example writing *'It was deliberate to me'* instead of 'I needed time to deliberate.'
Synonyms
consider (More common and slightly less formal; does not always suggest such deep or extended thinking.)
|
ponder (Suggests slow, serious, often private thinking; more literary than 'deliberate'.)
|
weigh (Often used as 'weigh up'; stresses comparing pros and cons.)
Antonyms
rush (To act or decide too quickly, without careful thought.)
|
improvise (To act without preparation or detailed thinking, opposite of careful planning.)
Collocations
deliberate carefully
|deliberate about options
|deliberate on the matter
|deliberate over the issue
|jury deliberated
|deliberate for hours
Themes
thinking
|law
|decision-making
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The jury deliberated for three days before reaching a verdict.
- We need time to deliberate on this proposal before we vote.
- She deliberated over the job offer all weekend.
- The committee will deliberate about the new regulations tomorrow.
- After deliberating for several hours, they finally agreed on a plan.
Learner examples
- The jury will deliberate before they decide.
- Please give me a day to deliberate on your idea.
- He sat alone to deliberate over this big life choice.
- The leaders are still deliberating about the peace agreement.
adjective
B2
property
3
slow, careful, and unhurried
Slow and careful, not fast or rushed.
Usage pattern:
a deliberate [pace/manner/movement/voice]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with the 'intentional' sense and think it always means 'on purpose'. In this use, 'deliberate' describes the speed and style of movement or speech, not whether the action is morally planned. It is close to 'slow and careful', not 'planned to cause harm'.
Synonyms
measured (Emphasizes control and balance as well as slowness.)
|
unhurried (Focuses on not being rushed; neutral tone.)
|
slow (More general; does not always suggest care or control.)
Antonyms
hurried (Describes actions done too quickly or under time pressure.)
|
hasty (Suggests both being fast and lacking enough thought or care.)
|
rapid (Focuses on speed only, without the sense of care and control.)
Collocations
deliberate pace
|deliberate manner
|deliberate movement
|slow and deliberate
|deliberate steps
|deliberate speech
Themes
behavior
|movement
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He walked toward the witness stand with slow, deliberate steps.
- She spoke in a calm, deliberate voice so everyone could follow her argument.
- The surgeon’s deliberate movements showed years of experience.
- He ate at such a deliberate pace that everyone else finished long before him.
- Her deliberate manner made some people think she was cold, but she was just careful.
Learner examples
- He moved in a very deliberate way.
- The teacher spoke in a slow, deliberate voice.
- She walked at a deliberate pace to avoid falling.
- His deliberate movements showed that he was very careful.
Grammar
Dictionary form
deliberate
IPA
GB/dɪlˈɪbɚɪt/
US/dɪlˈɪbɚɪt/
Syllables & stress
de - lib - er - ate (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (lib)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: deliberate
Verb
- Base: deliberate
- 3rd Person Singular: deliberates
- Present Participle: deliberating
- Past: deliberated
Word family
Forms
deliberates
verb
deliberating
verb
deliberated
verb
Core family
deliberately
adverb B1
Related words
deliberation
noun C1
Negative and opposite forms
accidental
adjective B2
accidentally
adverb B1
Advanced or less common
deliberative
adjective
Expressions
be deliberate about
1/bˈi dɪlˈɪbɚɪt əbˈaʊt/
fixed phrase
act intentionally in one area
To act with clear plans and reasons in a specific part of your life, not by chance or without thinking.
Examples
- We need to be deliberate about how we spend our time online.
- Try to be deliberate about the goals you choose for this year.
- The company is being very deliberate about which markets it enters.