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Definition of purpose
1a : something set up as an object or end to be attained : intentionb : resolution, determination
2 : a subject under discussion or an action in course of execution
on purpose
: by intent : intentionally
From the M-W Editors
Examples of purpose in a Sentence
Shocking as it is, more than a month after the hurricane hit, New Orleans is still, for all practical purposes, a ghost town. —Tom Piazza, Why New Orleans Matters, 2005
By the time … American aid began pouring in, to all intents and purposes the war had already been lost. —Neil L. Jamieson, Understanding Vietnam, 1993
But wartime wage and price controls prevented companies from competing for the available talent by means of increased salaries. They had to compete with fringe benefits instead, and free health insurance was tailor-made for this purpose. —John Steele Gordon, American Heritage, May - June 1992
His purpose is to realize himself, to live the fullest possible life, and he is responsible for this, like all men, regardless of how society treats him. —Shelby Steele, Wilson Quarterly, Summer 1990
The purpose of the new resort is to attract more tourists.
The loans are small but they serve a good purpose.
Sometimes his life seemed to lack purpose or meaning.
We started work again with a renewed sense of purpose.
Recent Examples of purpose from the Web
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Despite following hidden agendas at cross purposes, the captain and the agent become romantically entwined, with the doting king’s blessing. The film is set in 1940, a year before Wilhelm’s death.
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A quick primer on the draft: The league’s worst teams are allotted the top fifteen slots in each NBA Draft, with the express purpose of landing one of the best players to provide the necessary boost to compete in upcoming seasons.
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Humans have used marijuana, or Cannabis sativa, for thousands of years, for religious purposes, medicinal remedies or simply getting high.
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Back then, voters approved public money to build a multi-purpose stadium for the Chargers and Padres (and football Aztecs).
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Every fiber in every muscle was firing for one unified purpose: to sync our oars and pull the boat across the water.
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And what on earth was the purpose of equivocating about the critical commitment to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, undermining the core underpinning of the Atlantic alliance — and then affirming it anyway?
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A foundation document identifies a national park unit's core purpose and significance, its most important resources and values, and the interpretive themes that tell its unique and significant American story.
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The purpose is to promote the sport of fishing to kids 3 to 15 or seniors 60 and older, all participants receive a gift bag with hooks, weights, a bobber and a bottle of water.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'purpose'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of purpose
Middle English purpos, from Anglo-French, from purposer to intend, propose, from Latin proponere (perfect indicative proposui) to propose — more at propound
Synonym Discussion of purpose
Examples of purpose in a Sentence
I have not purposed to misrepresent this boy in any way, for what little indignation he excited in me soon passed and left nothing behind it but compassion. —Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad, 1880
The child then explained that they had left the races on the first day, and were travelling to the next town on that road, where they purposed to spend the night. —Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop, 1841
I've been purposing to fix that thing for some time now.
Recent Examples of purpose from the Web
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Estimates suggested in this Collectibles column are for general information purposes only and cannot be used as a basis for sale, insurance, or IRS purposes.
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However, there are flaws that warrant either SoccerCity’s demise or a re-purposed version that would have San Diego State in the driver’s seat, yet still allow for a soccer team and soccer academy.
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They're sometimes created by chefs, often in the world of fine dining, and then mimicked and re-purposed by other restaurateurs.
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The waste can also be re-purposed to use as construction fill or on roads for de-icing.
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Especially in a legislative body purposed to represent the people who make up a nation, that's a crucial reminder -- that women's lives and experiences matter, too.
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Billiard tables to be relocated The billiard tables in Clubhouses Five and Six will be removed due to low usage, and the spaces will be re-purposed into meeting rooms.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'purpose'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of purpose
see 1purpose
PURPOSE Defined for English Language Learners
purpose
playDefinition of purpose for English Language Learners
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: the reason why something is done or used : the aim or intention of something
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: the feeling of being determined to do or achieve something
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: the aim or goal of a person : what a person is trying to do, become, etc.
PURPOSE Defined for Kids
Law Dictionary
Learn More about purpose
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for purpose Spanish Central: Translation of purpose Nglish: Translation of purpose for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of purpose for Arabic speakers
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