What does intended mean?
Intended means planned, designed, or meant to achieve a particular result. It is especially common before nouns such as “purpose,” “audience,” “use,” and “message,” where it describes a person's or organization's aim. In informal use, the phrase “I intended to…” can mean that someone meant or planned to do something, although “I meant to…” may sound more natural in conversation. As the past tense and past participle of the verb intend, it also appears in phrases such as “was intended to,” where it can describe what someone or something was supposed to do. The word can suggest a deliberate plan, but it does not guarantee that the plan was carried out or achieved. It is useful in both formal and everyday contexts, especially when discussing aims, expectations, and interpretations.
Planned or designed to achieve a particular purpose or result.
"The organizers changed the location because of the intended audience size."
Common with nouns describing a purpose, audience, use, meaning, or result.
The past tense and past participle of intend, meaning to plan or aim to do something.
"The software was intended to reduce paperwork."
Often used in passive constructions such as “was intended to” and in the phrase “intended to mean.”
What is intended is not always what happens—and that gap is where many memorable stories begin.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does intended come from?
Intended comes from the Latin verb intendere, formed from in- (“into” or “toward”) and tendere (“stretch”), and it originally meant to direct or extend toward something. The English verb intend developed in the Middle English period in the sense of directing one's attention or purpose toward a particular action. Intention, intentional, and intently share the same Latin root, while tend is a related English word derived from tendere.
Related word forms
How intended is actually used
As an adjective, intended commonly precedes a noun, as in “intended purpose.” As a verb form, it is used in past and perfect constructions; in informal contexts, it may also mean “meant.”
Easily confused with intended
Intend is the infinitive and base form of the verb, while intended is its past tense and past participle and can also function as an adjective.