purposefully
Americanadverb
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in a determined or resolute way.
Many runners break down in the marathon’s second half, but I stayed positive as I painfully and purposefully placed one foot in front of the other.
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in a thoughtful and focused way, with a serious desire to accomplish something.
The Family Fun Cooking Classes are designed to educate, but more importantly, to encourage adults in our community to purposefully spend time with young people.
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with intention; deliberately; purposely.
He maliciously and purposefully slammed the car door on my foot, resulting in a fracture.
Etymology
Origin of purposefully
Compare meaning
How does purposefully compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When you do something in a determined or deliberate way, you do it purposefully. If you finished your brother's favorite cereal yesterday, he may purposefully shake the last of your favorite kind into his bowl this morning. Acting purposefully means doing something on purpose, or in a way that demonstrates your sense of resolve. Soldiers trudging purposefully into battle are determined and have their eyes wide open — they know what they're doing. If you purposefully avoid talking about politics with your family during the holidays, that means you intentionally steer clear of controversial topics.
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 don’t have any evidence that China purposefully has shaped training data already,” Roberts said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
If we had, it might have come with a purposefully incomprehensible slogan, absent any sound or fury but definitely signifying nothing.
From Salon • May 17, 2026
The federal agencies which calculate inflation also publish “core” versions of their indices which purposefully exclude items such as food or energy because their prices change quickly.
From Slate • Apr. 24, 2026
Making a purposefully idiosyncratic retelling of a classic tale came with its own challenges.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026
The dog hops off the steps of the diner and sniffs my way before walking purposefully down the gravel road beside it.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
