purposely
Americanadverb
-
intentionally; deliberately.
He tripped me purposely.
-
with the particular purpose specified; expressly.
I wore that suit purposely to make a good impression.
adverb
Usage
What does purposely mean? Purposely is used to describe an action done intentionally, deliberately, or for a specific reason. The word purposefully means in a determined way or in a way that’s full of purpose. It should not be used to mean intentionally or deliberately. Example: I show up late to parties purposely so I’m not the first one there.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of purposely
Compare meaning
How does purposely compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
"And I am purposely trying to put songs down for that very purpose, to have a click track and my vocals to where any, any arrangement can be done," Parton added.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
In 2020, the lab embarked on training a chatbot dubbed “Gopher,” purposely keeping the project secret from Google Brain.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
Gray clouds darken the sky, but Leutze bathes Washington in light, depicting him as an unflinching leader of a squad of men that purposely includes a Native American and a black man.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026
It is not known if Healey was purposely targeted, but the newspaper reported that the flight's path was visible on aircraft tracking websites.
From BBC ● May 24, 2026
He purposely took big mouthfuls to prove nothing bothered him.
From "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen
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.
