- Dictionary
- Word comparison: purposely vs. purposefully
purposely vs. purposefully
purposely vs. purposefully: What's the difference?
Purposely and purposefully can both mean intentionally or deliberately, but they also have their own distinct alternate meanings. Purposely means for a particular purpose, as in She purposely mentioned the committee member’s work during the presentation. Purposefully means in a determined or thoughtful way, as in Though my heart was pounding, I pushed the door open purposefully.
adverb
intentionally; deliberately.
He tripped me purposely.
with the particular purpose specified; expressly.
I wore that suit purposely to make a good impression.
adverb
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.
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.
with intention; deliberately; purposely.
He maliciously and purposefully slammed the car door on my foot, resulting in a fracture.
