Meaning & use
positive intentions
Last updated
Meanings
phraseplural
Plans or aims to do something good or helpful.
Grammar: Always plural in this sense; use 'a positive intention' for one specific plan.
Patterns
- have positive intentions
- with positive intentions
- positive intentions toward someone
She started the project with positive intentions.
He has positive intentions, even if his actions sometimes go wrong.
phraseplural
In self-help, conscious thoughts or goals that focus on good outcomes.
Grammar: Often used with 'set' or 'focus on': 'set positive intentions for the day.'
Patterns
- set positive intentions
- focus on positive intentions
- positive intentions for something
Each morning she sets positive intentions for the day.
The workshop teaches you to focus on positive intentions.
Word forms
| singular | positive intention |
|---|
Common combinations
- have positive intentions
- They have positive intentions but lack experience.
- with positive intentions
- He spoke with positive intentions, trying to help.
- set positive intentions
- I set positive intentions before starting work.
- positive intentions toward
- She has positive intentions toward her colleagues.
Synonyms and how they differ
- good intentions
- More common and slightly more informal; it often implies the person means well even if results are poor.
- goodwill
- Focuses on a friendly feeling, not on planned actions.
- aspirations
- Suggests long-term hopes or ambitions, not immediate plans.
Opposites
Word family
- intention noun
- A plan or aim to do something.
- intentional adjective
- Done on purpose.
- intentionally adverb
- In a deliberate way.
Commonly confused: positive intentions or positive attention?
positive intentions vs positive attention
This means praise or focus on good behavior, not a plan to do good.
Practice
She began the meeting with ______, hoping to improve team spirit.
Choose one answer.
The plural 'positive intentions' fits because the phrase is usually plural and means plans to do good. 'Positive intention' is singular and would need 'a' or 'one'. 'Positive intentional' and 'positive intentionally' are not correct noun phrases.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “positive intentions”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.