purposeful

adjective

pur·​pose·​ful ˈpər-pəs-fəl How to pronounce purposeful (audio)
Synonyms of purposeful
1
: having a purpose: such as
a
: meaningful
purposeful activities
b
: intentional
purposeful ambiguity
2
: full of determination
was soft-spoken but purposeful
purposefully
ˈpər-pəs-fə-lē How to pronounce purposeful (audio)
adverb
purposefulness noun

Synonyms of purposeful

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Examples of purposeful in a Sentence

a soft-spoken but purposeful criminal investigator there's a difference between a purposeful lie and an accidental untruth
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some interpreted that as a purposeful nod to the audience that this wouldn't be a faithful retelling of the story. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026 But recently, comments about his long-winded way of speaking have started to feel like purposeful misreadings. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2026 Sharing in the challenges, while demonstrating the capacity to pivot and realign, is what catalyzes purposeful and positive momentum—both individually and across the team. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 At the foundation of workforce changes related to AI is the idea integrating and deploying this technology has to be purposeful in order to be defensible to a company, explained Shelagh Glaser, chief financial officer of Synopsys. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for purposeful

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of purposeful was in 1853

Browse Nearby Words

purposedly
purposeful
purposeless
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Purposeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purposeful. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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