Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

purposeful

American  
[pur-puhs-fuhl] / ˈpɜr pəs fəl /

adjective

  1. having a purpose.

  2. determined; resolute.

  3. full of meaning; significant.


purposeful British  
/ ˈpɜːpəsfʊl /

adjective

  1. having a definite purpose in view

  2. fixed in one's purpose; determined

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

Purposefully is sometimes wrongly used where purposely is meant: he had purposely (not purposefully ) left the door unlocked

Other Word Forms

  • purposefully adverb
  • purposefulness noun

Etymology

Origin of purposeful

First recorded in 1850–55; purpose + -ful

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The results showed that blinking does appear to be timed in a purposeful way.

From Science Daily

“She must have felt so much shame,” she said, describing her own experience of being a divorced woman in this town — where custom and convention are supreme, and purposeful familial destruction is abhorrent.

From Los Angeles Times

Inspired by her father's experience with the condition, Ms Kanna wanted a place where people could remain engaged and feel purposeful.

From BBC

Keep leading a purposeful life, keep trying to make a difference and don’t let the age thing even mean anything.

From Los Angeles Times

They stay engaged, purposeful, and connected to their communities well into old age.

From MarketWatch