purposive

adjective

ˈpər-pə-siv How to pronounce purposive (audio)
Definition of purposivenext
as in deliberate
made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing facial tics and other unconscious movements that one would not normally call purposive actions

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of purposive The character dimension of transcendence underpins purposive leadership by supplying the steady, renewable energy that allows leaders to act with intention rather than impulse. — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026 Strengthening transcendence, with its associated behaviors of being purposive, inspired, optimistic, creative, and future-oriented, helps to broaden your perspective and see beyond the immediate challenges. — Mary Crossan, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024 For Defoe, meaning is purposive and theological, purposive because theological. — James Wood, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2022 Sporadic outbursts of feeling are converted into purposive and unremitting activity. — Aldous Huxley, Harper's Magazine, 17 Aug. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposive
  1. deliberate
  2. voluntary
  3. conscious
  4. intentional
  5. intended
  6. willed
Adjective
  • New consumer research suggests the shift is more deliberate, and more compatible with luxury growth, than early coverage implied.
    — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Stop motion is such a deliberate practice, where every wrinkle is quite literally sculpted.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of deliberate
Adjective
  • The work that the private sector does with it and its British counterpart is voluntary and not required by law.
    — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The offer follows a voluntary retirement program announced at Microsoft this past spring and 4,800 jobs cut in July.
    — Ian Thomas,Colleen McKown, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of voluntary
Adjective
  • Now, Tan-Gillespie is tasked with getting KFC’s American business back on track as the brand faces growing competition paired with more health-conscious and cash-strapped consumers.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • And while Kim tends to gravitate toward body-conscious silhouettes and plenty of skin, Kris has made a signature of sharp tailoring, statement accessories, and an unapologetic dose of flash.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of conscious
Adjective
  • Increasingly, intentional isolation has replaced sightseeing at the top of the travel agenda.
    — Luke Abrahams, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Evie Lanitis, for instance, was devoted to Qigong, the traditional Chinese practice that combines movement, meditation, and intentional breathing.
    — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of intentional
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, al-Ali held several meetings with Saudi officers at the Defense Ministry in Riyadh to discuss the costs of transferring around 10,000 fighters, financial arrangements, additional benefits and their intended military tasks.
    — Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Some estimate that 80% of projects fail to deliver intended value—and that many of these failures are attributed to leadership and organizational factors.
    — Amanda Turcotte, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of intended
Adjective
  • Originally unveiled at the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show and put into production in 2005, the Bugatti Veyron was a moonshot project essentially willed into existence by Ferdinand Piëch.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Anyone who has a negative reaction to this is a weak-willed loser who has ZERO idea how bad Texan has become and is more than likely complicit in selling out our state.
    — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of willed

Browse Nearby Words

purposing
purposive
purposively
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Cite this Entry

“Purposive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposive. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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