3 syllables: in, tend, ed. Stress on tend.
in-TEN-did
/ˌɪˈntɛndɪd/
intended is pronounced in-TEN-did (/ˌɪˈntɛndɪd/). It has three syllables (in-tend-ed), with the stress on "tend". Intended describes a purpose or aim that one has in mind when acting or speaking. It also characterizes something that is planned or meant to happen. As a word, it often prefixes phrases like “intended recipient” or “intended use,” indicating deliberate direction or design behind an action or object.
Intended describes a purpose or aim that one has in mind when acting or speaking. It also characterizes something that is planned or meant to happen. As a word, it often prefixes phrases like “intended recipient” or “intended use,” indicating deliberate direction or design behind an action or object.
"She sent the invitations, as intended, to all her closest friends."
"The intended recipient was listed on the envelope but the letter never arrived."
"His remarks were intended to clarify the policy, not to criticize colleagues."
Intended = /ɪnˈtɛn.dɪd/. Stress falls on the second syllable. Start with a short, lax /ɪ/ in the first syllable, then a clear /ˈtɛn/ with a quick, precise stop after /t/ before the unstressed /dɪd/. End with a light final /d/ or /dɪd/ depending on rhythm. For connected speech, you can link the /n/ to the /t/ (in- + ten-), but keep the /t/ release clean to maintain the /ˈtɛn/ sound. Practice by isolating the “ten” chunk, then softly adding the “ded” without over-enunciating.
Common errors include misplacing stress (trying to stress the first syllable as in-in-TEN-ded), dropping the /t/ or slurring it into /n/ (in-ten-ded becomes in-n-ded), and turning the final -ed into a simpler /əd/ instead of /dɪd/. To correct: emphasize the second syllable with a crisp /ˈtɛn/ and clearly articulate the final /dɪd/ or /dɪd/ sequence. Practice with minimal pairs like ‘intended’ vs. ‘intense’ to anchor the correct vowel quality and syllable boundaries.
US: /ɪnˈtɛn.dɪd/ with rhotic, more pronounced final /dɪd/. UK: /ɪnˈten.dɪd/ or /ɪnˈten.dɪd/, with non-rhoticity less impacting the ending, and slightly shorter /ɪ/ in first syllable. AU: similar to US but with subtle vowel shifts: /ɪnˈtɛn.dɪd/ where /ə/ in unstressed vowels may reduce; the second syllable remains strong, though less elongated than some US varieties. Across all, the key is keeping /ˈtɛn/ as a distinct stressed syllable while ensuring the final /dɪd/ cluster is clear and not swallowed.
The difficulty lies in sustaining a clear secondary syllable stress while molding fast, connected speech, especially producing the rapid transition between /t/ and /d/ in the middle, and keeping the final /dɪd/ distinct after a vowel-heavy sequence. The sequence /ənˈtɛn.dɪd/ requires precise tongue-tip contact for /t/ and /d/, and careful vowel shaping in /ɪ/. Small shifts in vowel length or a quick schwa reduction can blur the boundaries; deliberate practice helps lock the rhythm and the exact consonant voicing.
A common unique concern is whether the final -ed is pronounced as /ɪd/ or /d/, especially in rapid speech. In careful speech, /ɪd/ is common, but in fast speech, the final cluster often sounds like /dɪd/ or merges toward a reduced form. Also, many learners misplace stress, saying in-TEN-ded rather than /ɪnˈtɛn.dɪd/. Focus on the HTTP: the nucleus of stress is the /ˈtɛn/ syllable, with a crisp onset consonant and a clear /dɪd/ tail.
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Intended comes from the verb intend, itself from Old French intendre (to direct, aim, intend) from Latin intendere (to stretch toward, aim at, strive for), formed of in- (toward) + tendere (to stretch, extend). In English, intend appeared in the 14th century with meanings related to directing one’s mind or actions toward a goal. The past participle intended began appearing in Middle English as an adjective to describe purposes or aims held in the mind, and by the 17th–18th centuries it also served as a modifier for objects created with a specific aim in mind (e.g., “intended use”). The word’s sense expanded to cover plans, designs, or expected outcomes. Over time, “intended” retained a strong sense of purposeful direction, differentiating from accidental or incidental outcomes. The form remains common in legal, technical, and everyday discourse when clarifying motivation, purpose, or design intent.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "intended" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "intended"
-ded sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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