purposeful

[pur-puh s-fuh l]

See more synonyms for purposeful on Thesaurus.com

adjective

having a purpose.
determined; resolute.
full of meaning; significant.

Origin of purposeful

First recorded in 1850–55; purpose + -ful

Related formspur·pose·ful·ly, adverbpur·pose·ful·ness, noun

Can be confusedpurposefully purposely

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for purposefully

Contemporary Examples

“I want to try to live my own values as consciously and purposefully as I can,” Booker told me in a phone interview.
Talking Tofurky With Newly Vegan Cory Booker
Vlad Chituc
November 26, 2014
The device itself and connecting app was purposefully designed to be simple.
Are We Turning Our Babies Into Real Life Tamagotchis?
Brandy Zadrozny
August 7, 2014
She details the time Biggs purposefully hit on her friend, Simone, to determine her loyalty in “Chicks Before Dicks.”
Actress Jenny Mollen Talks Hiring Prostitutes for Husband Jason Biggs and Embracing Her Crazy
Erin Cunningham
June 30, 2014
Mader even told the Swiss paper that he purposefully did not promote gay Swiss Guards out of fear that they would be disloyal.
Vatican’s Pope-Protecting Swiss Guards Accused Of Secret Gay Lobby
Barbie Latza Nadeau
January 24, 2014
The rumor is this was purposefully done to lead up to a second book.
10 Fascinating Porn Star Memoirs: Aurora Snow on Porn Tell-Alls
Aurora Snow
May 29, 2013

Historical Examples

Then the figure moved forward again, cautiously, purposefully.
The Monster
S. M. Tenneshaw
Every word was purposefully clear, and at the end she paused invitingly.
Sonia Married
Stephen McKenna
He came quickly and purposefully, and he was Mr. Schultz—none other.
The Incredible Honeymoon
E. Nesbit
He had walked steadily and purposefully, with some definite destination in mind.
The Caves of Fear
John Blaine
He set off for his office, moving quickly, purposefully, head up.
Makers
Cory Doctorow

British Dictionary definitions for purposefully

purposeful

adjective

having a definite purpose in view
fixed in one's purpose; determined

Derived Formspurposefully, adverbpurposefulness, noun

usage

Purposefully is sometimes wrongly used where purposely is meant: he had purposely (not purposefully) left the door unlocked

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for purposefully

purposeful

adj.

1835, from purpose (n.) + -ful. Related: Purposefully.

purposeful

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Related Words

Examples from the Web for purposefully

Contemporary Examples

“I want to try to live my own values as consciously and purposefully as I can,” Booker told me in a phone interview.

The device itself and connecting app was purposefully designed to be simple.

She details the time Biggs purposefully hit on her friend, Simone, to determine her loyalty in “Chicks Before Dicks.”

Mader even told the Swiss paper that he purposefully did not promote gay Swiss Guards out of fear that they would be disloyal.

The rumor is this was purposefully done to lead up to a second book.

Historical Examples

Then the figure moved forward again, cautiously, purposefully.

Every word was purposefully clear, and at the end she paused invitingly.

He came quickly and purposefully, and he was Mr. Schultz—none other.

He had walked steadily and purposefully, with some definite destination in mind.

He set off for his office, moving quickly, purposefully, head up.

purposeful

usage

Word Origin and History for purposefully

purposeful

adj.

Origin of purposeful