purposely
Americanadverb
-
intentionally; deliberately.
He tripped me purposely.
-
with the particular purpose specified; expressly.
I wore that suit purposely to make a good impression.
adverb
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012Usage
What does purposely mean? Purposely is used to describe an action done intentionally, deliberately, or for a specific reason.The word purposefully means in a determined way or in a way that’s full of purpose. It should not be used to mean intentionally or deliberately.Example: I show up late to parties purposely so I’m not the first one there.
Other Word Forms
- unpurposely adverb
Etymology
Origin of purposely
Compare meaning
How does purposely compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
He purposely let his boys sink or swim on their own.
From Los Angeles Times
It reminds one of how Charles Dickens, in response to Britain’s 19th-century Poor Law, an amendment to earlier poor laws, that required the poor to live in purposely unpleasant workhouses, wrote “Oliver Twist.”
From Salon
John has been a Blue Jays fan since the team’s inception in 1977 and purposely sits where he does for proximity to home runs.
From Los Angeles Times
He purposely restructured timeouts to give players time to discuss alone before the coaches would join them, hoping that the opportunities for player-to-player communication would prompt stronger team connection.
From Los Angeles Times
Significant changes purposely carried out at speed in a bid to ensure the process was not dragged out and the inevitable unease could start to settle much quicker.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
