purposeful

adjective

pur·​pose·​ful ˈpər-pəs-fəl How to pronounce purposeful (audio)
Synonyms of purposefulnext
1
: having a purpose: such as
a
: meaningful
purposeful activities
b
: intentional
purposeful ambiguity
2
: full of determination
was soft-spoken but purposeful
purposefully adverb
purposefulness noun

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
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.
Every detail feels purposeful, from the strong contrasts to the lettering choices. Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025 Kardashian has been open about her purposeful avoidance of the dating world in the last few years since welcoming her son. Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025 As Linklater suggests, however, Godard was purposeful in his purposelessness throughout the shoot. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Dec. 2025 The natural oak shows off its grain, and the simple plank-style base keeps the whole piece looking clean and purposeful. Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for purposeful

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of purposeful was in 1853

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Cite this Entry

“Purposeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purposeful. Accessed 14 Dec. 2025.

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