deliberate

comparative more deliberate · superlative most deliberate

1. Done on purpose; intentional.

   a deliberate attempt to cover up his crime

   1 more example

   The massacre of up to 8,000 Bosnian Muslims at Srebrenica in 1995 was an act of genocide in a deliberate attempt by the Bosnian Serb leadership to exterminate part of the Muslim community, appeal judges ruled in a crucial case at the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague yesterday.

   2004 April 20, Ian Traynor, “Hague rules Srebrenica was act of genocide”, in The Guardian

   Synonyms: purposeful, volitional, advertent, conscious, witting, intentional, on purpose, purposeful · Antonyms: unintentional, unwitting

2. Formed with deliberation; carefully considered; not sudden or rash.

   a deliberate opinion; a deliberate measure or result

   1 more example

   settled visage and deliberate word

   1603-4, William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure

   Synonyms: careful, cautious, well-advised, alert, attentive, careful, cautelous, cautious

3. Of a person, weighing facts and arguments with a view to a choice or decision; carefully considering the probable consequences of a step; slow in determining.

   The jury took eight hours to come to its deliberate verdict.

   Synonyms: circumspect, thoughtful

4. Not hasty or sudden; slow.

   His enunciation was so deliberate.

   1803, William Wirt, The Letters of the British Spy

present singular third person deliberates · participle present deliberating · participle past deliberated · past deliberated

1. transitiveTo consider carefully; to weigh well in the mind.

   It is now time for the jury to deliberate the guilt of the defendant.

2. intransitiveTo consider the reasons for and against anything; to reflect.