what is the difference between the words intended and intending?

What is the difference between the words intended and intending in these sentences?

  • An intending swimmer was prevented from entering the sea by coastguards because the tides were dangerous.

  • The book failed to reach its intended audience.

Can both the words be used interchangeably like 'an intended swimmer...' and '....intending audience' without changing their meaning?


Intending is used as an adjective to describe "planning or meaning to do something", whereas usually, intended is used as an adjective to designate the noun as a "desired" object of something.

For example, "the intending swimmer", suggests that the swimmer intends to swim. "The intended audience" suggests that the audience is actually the "desired" object of some other, unreferenced noun.