intently

adverb

in·​tent·​ly in-ˈtent-lē 

: 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

• amain
• arduously
• assiduously
• determinedly
• diligently
• doggedly
• hard
• hardly
• industriously
• intensely
• intensively
• laboriously
• mightily
• purposefully
• resolutely
• sedulously
• slavishly
• strenuously

Examples of intently in a Sentence

intently studied his notes just before the exam

Recent Examples on the Web

Leaders need to take time to intently listen when a direct report raises a concert. —Kate Wieczorek, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025

Watching intently from the stands at the Cherry Red Records stadium is his father, Phil. —Matt Woosnam, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025

Messi watched intently all afternoon as his teammates tried to break through an organized Charlotte defense that made life difficult for Miami’s midfielders. —Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2025

After listening intently to the presentation by Dr. Demehri and Dr. Hasegawa, Lahbati was ecstatic over the discovery. —Carol Rh Malasig, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for intently

• gently