intention

Name: intention, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ɪnˈtɛnʃn̩/

//ɪnˈtɛnʃn̩// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“intention” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,095 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,095
frequency rank, English: 9
letters: 14
tracked misspellings: 11
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A course of action that a person intends to follow.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

intention vs invention

89% similar

intention vs intuition

78% similar

intention vs intentions

90% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for intention
Property	Value
Headword	intention
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ɪnˈtɛnʃn̩/
Letters	9
Frequency rank	#4,095
Misspellings tracked	14
Confusable pairs	11
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “intention” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). intention lands here:

#4,095

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for intention is 9 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪnˈtɛnʃn̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,095 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for intention, with forms such as "inetntion", "inntention", and "inteniton". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 11 confusable-pair relationships, "invention", "intuition", "intentions", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English entencioun, intention, from Old French entencion, from Latin intentiō, intentiōnem. Compare intent. Equivalent to intent + -ion. The correct English form is intention, spelled I-N-T-E-N-T-I-O-N.

Definition

1
A course of action that a person intends to follow.
2
The goal or purpose.
3
Tension; straining, stretching.
4
A stretching or bending of the mind toward an object or a purpose (an intent); closeness of application; fixedness of attention; earnestness.
5
The object toward which the thoughts are directed; end; aim.
6
Any mental apprehension of an object.
7
The process of the healing of a wound.

Etymology

From Middle English entencioun, intention, from Old French entencion, from Latin intentiō, intentiōnem. Compare intent. Equivalent to intent + -ion.

Synonyms

aim ambition drive goal intent intention plan

Antonyms

chance

This word in other languages

intención(Español)intention(Français)Absicht(Deutsch)intenção(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: inetntion,inntention,inteniton,intenntion,intension,intentino,intentionn,intentoin,intenttion,intetnion,intnetion,inttention,itnention,nitention

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of intention - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

Edit distance from "intention"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "intention"?

"intention" is spelled I-N-T-E-N-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈtɛnʃn̩/.

What does "intention" mean?

As a noun, "intention" means: A course of action that a person intends to follow.

What words are commonly confused with "intention"?

"intention" is commonly confused with "invention", "intuition", "intentions". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "intention"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "intention" is /ɪnˈtɛnʃn̩/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "intention"?

From Middle English entencioun, intention, from Old French entencion, from Latin intentiō, intentiōnem. Compare intent. Equivalent to intent + -ion. See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “intention”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is I-N-T-E-N-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ɪnˈtɛnʃn̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “invention” - see the side-by-side comparison. intention vs invention
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.