1
b
2
: a subject under discussion or an action in course of execution
Examples of purpose in a Sentence
Noun
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.
Verb
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.
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.
Verb
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 on the Web
Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
That facility, whose purpose remains unclear, appears to be intact.
—Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 26 June 2025
Ibogaine is a psychoactive compound from the root bark of a West African shrub and has been used by Indigenous people for medical and spiritual purposes for hundreds of years.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
Walters noted that both direct and indirect loans to the general fund budget are drawn from special funds designated for specific purposes.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for purpose
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Noun
And the brands who roll with precision, purpose and personality will define the future of the category.
—Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
That facility, whose purpose remains unclear, appears to be intact.
—Geoff Brumfiel, NPR, 26 June 2025
Ibogaine is a psychoactive compound from the root bark of a West African shrub and has been used by Indigenous people for medical and spiritual purposes for hundreds of years.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
Walters noted that both direct and indirect loans to the general fund budget are drawn from special funds designated for specific purposes.
—Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for purpose
Cite this Entry
“Purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purpose. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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