purposely

[pur-puhs-lee]

adverb

1. intentionally; deliberately.

   He tripped me purposely.

2. with the particular purpose specified; expressly.

   I wore that suit purposely to make a good impression.

purposely

/ ˈpɜːpəslɪ /

adverb

1. for a definite reason; on purpose

Other Word Forms

• unpurposely adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of purposely¹

First recorded in 1485–95; purpose + -ly

Example Sentences

He purposely let his boys sink or swim on their own.

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It reminds one of how Charles Dickens, in response to Britain’s 19th-century Poor Law, an amendment to earlier poor laws, that required the poor to live in purposely unpleasant workhouses, wrote “Oliver Twist.”

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John has been a Blue Jays fan since the team’s inception in 1977 and purposely sits where he does for proximity to home runs.

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He purposely restructured timeouts to give players time to discuss alone before the coaches would join them, hoping that the opportunities for player-to-player communication would prompt stronger team connection.

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Significant changes purposely carried out at speed in a bid to ensure the process was not dragged out and the inevitable unease could start to settle much quicker.

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Related Words

• consciously 
• deliberately 
• explicitly 
• expressly 
• knowingly www.thesaurus.com
• willfully 

When To Use

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.