Intent and Wish

Intent

Intent noun - Something that one hopes or intends to accomplish.

Usage example: I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings; that wasn't my intent

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Wish and intent are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Wish" instead a noun "Intent".

Wish noun - An expression of some desire or inclination.

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Intent and wish are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Intent" instead a noun "Wish".

Nearby Words: wished, wishful, wishing, wishfully, wisher

good	good intent	good wish
pure	pure intent	pure wish
exact	exact intent	exact wish
specific	specific intent	specific wish
Other adjectives: original, initial, true, genuine, strong, actual, real, evil, little, bad, main, ultimate, apparent, different.

Feb 5: Unlimited Eyelashes Feb 6: That wish granting entities be required to interpret wishes in accordance with the intent of the wisher.

Source: Webcomic / xkcd
Contrast the Literal Genie, which ignores the intent of the wish in favor of the exact words; this trope is about the complications that arise when you get exactly what you wanted, rather than exactly what you said.

Source: Be Careful What You Wish For
X1999's last chapter before it went into a hiatus is Kamui, lying on the ground while Fuuma holds the sword above his head with the intent to stab him and asks him what is his true wish.

Source: Bolivian Army Cliffhanger

Cite this Source

Wish and Intent. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/intent/wish

Intent & Wish. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/intent/wish>.

Wish or Intent. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/intent/wish.

Google Ngram Viewer shows how "intent" and "wish" have occurred on timeline