purposeful

adjective

pur·​pose·​ful ˈpər-pəs-fəl 

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 

adverb

purposefulness noun

Synonyms of purposeful

• resolute
• intent
• determined
• decisive
• positive
• confident

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

Blunt thinks that ambiguity is completely purposeful. —Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026

Julia Ruttner is the co-founder of Salt + Ruttner Communications, helping brands and leaders drive growth through purposeful storytelling. —Julia Ruttner, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026

Another creative approach is to transform travel photos and postcards into a gallery wall or a coffee table book, which captures memories in a stylish and purposeful way. —Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 June 2026

That’s obviously a purposeful decision. —Joel Feder, The Drive, 10 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined at sense 1