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.”
-
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.
The book ends with a trial to determine whether she did so on purpose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
The filmmaking team went internal on purpose, and built a movie about a young man nobody remembers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
A good plan uses that shape on purpose.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 16, 2026
"He might have missed it on purpose," Murphy joked.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
I can’t imagine me—even with earmuffs on—shoulder to shoulder with everyone, making noise on purpose.
From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari
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.
