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

And his bouts were purposeful, not performative. —Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026

Ohio law defines murder as the purposeful causing of a death, while the lesser charge of reckless murder means the defendant acted recklessly in causing a death. —ABC News, 7 May 2026

Teyana Taylor, ever the purposeful center of attention, donned a silver foil fringe look by Haider Ackermann for Tom Ford, but overdid it with a matching wig, converting her into a tinsel tree. —Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 5 May 2026

Wright suggests using wooden trays or boxes as purposeful accents. —Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 4 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined at sense 1