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

Such a change could only come from owning her realities, embracing self-love, listening intently, learning from others, and accepting correction and encouragement from those in her tribe. —Essence, 10 Dec. 2024

Players, Arab and Jew, listened intently to one another, responded in solos as though part of a personal dialogue — a search for what brings them together, not what keeps them apart. —Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024

By Kang-Chun Cheng Contributor | Undi, Malawi Seated beneath the branches of a massive African fig tree, the audience of nearly 25 women is listening intently. —Kang-Chun Cheng, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Dec. 2024

Focus intently on articulating your professional strengths, demonstrating your inherent potential and conveying your commitment to continuous learning. —Jack Kelly, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above