purposeful
Americanadjective
-
having a definite purpose in view
-
fixed in one's purpose; determined
Usage
Purposefully is sometimes wrongly used where purposely is meant: he had purposely (not purposefully ) left the door unlocked
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of purposeful
Explanation
Something purposeful is done on purpose: it's meant to achieve an aim. Lots of things happen accidentally or randomly, but other things have a purpose. Such things can be called purposeful. Going to college, starting a family, giving to a charity, and adopting a dog are all purposeful acts. People have a reason for doing them, and they want to accomplish something specific. Purposeful things are thought-out and intentional.
Vocabulary lists containing purposeful
Unit 1: Telling Details
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myPerspectives 8.3
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"A Village After Dark" by Kazuo Ishiguro
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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.
Purposeful and deliberative, she smuggled home those that had the right feel and heft, wrapping each one in old newsprint to look like innocent parcels.
From Slate • Sep. 7, 2021
Purposeful disruption by hostile states or groups is another problem.
From BBC • Jul. 27, 2021
A lawyer-turned-business owner, Robinson is now CEO of Purposeful Networking, which offers speaking engagements, one-on-one training, and consulting services on how to build a professional network.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 22, 2020
In 2016, Mayor Eric Garcetti launched Purposeful Aging Los Angeles, an initiative to enhance the lives of older people in the city.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 19, 2018
Purposeful reading is taking the place of miscellaneous dabbling in literature, and the Modern Library is being daily recommended by notable educators as a representative library of modern thought.
From Mary, Mary by Colum, Padraic
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.
