on purpose
Idioms-
Deliberately, intentionally, as in He left the photo out of the story on purpose . Shakespeare's use of this idiom was among the earliest; it appears in The Comedy of Errors (4:3): “On purpose shut the doors against his way.”
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accidentally on purpose . Seemingly accidentally but actually deliberately, as in She stepped on his foot accidentally on purpose . This generally jocular phrase was first recorded in 1862.
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.
“We agreed that it would be impossible for someone to reach you on purpose. Correct?”
From Literature
He says the creators are being "controversial on purpose" to generate more views, making him think it's "all a scheme" to make money.
From BBC
Others theorized that Epstein was spelling incorrectly on purpose.
Cassie shriek-squeals as she flicks Owen’s arm, and Nikhil starts belting out the school song, so off-key it must be on purpose.
From Literature
“What do you mean? That I didn’t come over on purpose or something?”
From Literature
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.
