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あえて

deliberately, dare to (despite a reason not to)

あえて + Verb

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あえて means doing something on purpose even though there's a reason not to: difficulty, risk, or other people's disapproval. 反対されるのを承知で、あえて本当のことを言った, "knowing I'd be opposed, I deliberately told the truth".

Compare わざわざ (N2), which is going to the trouble of doing something, often for someone else's sake. あえて is about choosing the harder or less expected path.

あえて言うなら means "if I had to say something" and softens a criticism. With a negative, あえて〜ない means "I won't go so far as to": あえて反対はしない, "I won't go out of my way to object".

It's common in speeches, interviews and essays whenever someone explains a deliberate, slightly brave choice.

Examples

  • 反対はんたいされるのを承知しょうちで、あえて本当ほんとうのことを言いった。

    Knowing I'd be opposed, I deliberately told the truth.

  • 楽らくな道みちもあったが、彼かれはあえて厳きびしい道みちを選えらんだ。

    There was an easy route, but he chose the hard one on purpose.

  • あえて言いうなら、少すこし長ながすぎると思おもう。

    If I had to say something, I'd say it's a little too long.

  • パソコンもあるが、あえて手てで日記にっきを書かいている。

    I have a computer, but I choose to write my diary by hand.

  • 失敗しっぱいを恐おそれず、あえて新あたらしいことに挑戦ちょうせんする。

    Not fearing failure, I dare to try new things.

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