purposeful

adjective

pur·​pose·​ful ˈpər-pəs-fəl How to pronounce purposeful (audio)
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.
Minimal white cabinetry provides a clean, functional backdrop that balances utility with quiet elegance, allowing the kitchen to feel both purposeful and serene. Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 29 Apr. 2025 Let’s trade status quo comfort for purposeful stretch. Shelley Zalis, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025 In other words, this was not a team that had purposeful possession. Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025 Europe is highly interdependent with both the U.S. and China, and European leaders rightly see this entire dispute as a purposeful choice of Trump's, not Xi's. Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 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 2 May. 2025.

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