intently

adverb

in·​tent·​ly in-ˈtent-lē How to pronounce intently (audio)
Synonyms of intently
: in an intent or concentrated manner : with great effort, attention, or concentration
Their eyes, when they look at you and listen intently, focus like laser beams.—Molly Haskell
He turned back to face her again and stared at her most intently.—Robert C. O'Brien

Synonyms of intently

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Examples of intently in a Sentence

intently studied his notes just before the exam
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Nakira’s mug shot showed a young Black woman with dark hair gathered at the nape of her neck, green eyes staring intently into the camera. — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026 On Thursday, Owens’ fellow inductees and emcee Fran Fraschilla listened intently as Owens, still sharp and quick with a line, mixed gratitude with humor during his remarks. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026 As Jose spoke, Courtney sat next to her mother, listening intently as tears slowly rolled down her face. — Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 The group listens intently as a symphony of airplanes, freeway traffic and the ploop! — Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for intently

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of intently was in the 15th century

Rhymes for intently

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Browse Nearby Words

intentive
intently
intentness
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Cite this Entry

“Intently.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intently. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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