Deliberate means done on purpose, with careful thought and intention. When you make a deliberate choice, you've considered what you're doing and decided to do it that way.

If you deliberately leave your homework at home, you did it intentionally, not because you forgot. If a basketball player makes a deliberate pass to a teammate, she's planned that move, not just thrown the ball wildly. Scientists make deliberate changes to their experiments to test specific ideas. The opposite would be accidental, careless, or thoughtless.

The word also means slow and careful, usually describing how someone moves or speaks. A judge might speak in a deliberate tone, choosing each word carefully. Someone crossing a frozen pond might take deliberate steps, testing each one to stay safe.

When people deliberate, they discuss something seriously to reach a decision. A jury deliberates before announcing a verdict, weighing all the evidence. Your family might deliberate about where to go on vacation, with everyone sharing opinions.

In all these uses, deliberate suggests purposefulness and thought. Whether you're making a deliberate decision, taking deliberate action, or deliberating with others, you're being intentional rather than impulsive.