purposeful

adjective

ˈpər-pəs-fəl How to pronounce purposeful (audio)
Definition of purposefulnext
1
as in resolute
fully committed to achieving a goal a soft-spoken but purposeful criminal investigator

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deliberate
made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing there's a difference between a purposeful lie and an accidental untruth

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 purposeful Whether destruction or technological progress, both are purposeful activities, each with different conceptions of success or failure. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 17 Sep. 2026 But then so do Brentford, third in the xG table and inevitably full of purposeful running. — Duncan Alexander, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Musk himself shows up as an AI avatar — purposeful irony alert! — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2026 These shifts are shaping our product development around sharper, more purposeful assortments, while growing consumer interest in wellness and active lifestyles is opening adjacent opportunities. — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for purposeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposeful
  1. resolute
  2. deliberate
  3. intent
  4. conscious
  5. determined
  6. voluntary
  7. decisive
  8. intentional
Adjective
  • Okereke himself, who was the one called for the unnecessary roughness penalty, was disappointed but resolute postgame.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026
  • For someone who works in an industry that is constantly in flux, Zurich Film Festival Co-Owner and Festival Director Reta Guetg is resolute in her ambition for the young film event.
    — Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of resolute
Adjective
  • Thomas defenders maintained that slow-motion replays and freeze frames made an accidental collision appear deliberate.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • While the same anthropologists also emphasize that some hunter-gatherers are very unequal and that equality takes deliberate effort, the prevailing impression is that equality characterizes hunter-gatherers, past and present.
    — Christopher von Rueden, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of deliberate
Adjective
  • Use Early Intent Signals To Shape Holiday Marketing The biggest move is starting earlier with intent data, not promotions.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • For some investors, the volatile situation is leading to a more intent focus on core balance sheet metrics led by free cash flow, which measures the cash left over after expenses, interest, taxes and long-term investments.
    — Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of intent
Adjective
  • Going into the referendum, both Goodfriend and Fortich are conscious of the fact that affordability is on people’s minds — and that another high-profile property tax question, Florida’s Amendment 3, is on their ballots.
    — Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Witnesses reported that Pike complained of pain in her arm and remained conscious after the first dose.
    — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of conscious
Adjective
  • Jackson says this is because he’s determined to focus people on the company’s success, rather than their own individual advancement.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Indeed, this equation between precognition and determined occurrence, rehearsal and performance, exists in the mind as a matter of protocol.
    — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of determined
Adjective
  • The Seal is voluntary and requires manufacturers to apply and submit evidence supporting their claims.
    — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In reality, the president and the tech leaders signed a voluntary accord that allows the companies to police themselves.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of voluntary
Adjective
  • Every action is decisive and cannot be reversed, just as the film runs ever forward through the projector.
    — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The decisive Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday night in Las Vegas.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of decisive
Adjective
  • Meta has said that access is intentional, not a breach of its systems.
    — Harry Booth, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Did returning to the zeitgeist with roles in Oppenheimer and Trap feel like an intentional industry reintroduction?
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of intentional

Browse Nearby Words

purposed
purposeful
purposefully
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Cite this Entry

“Purposeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposeful. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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