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
Arkansas Online, 20 July 2025
As Wolf says, cannabis hospitality’s future belongs to those who serve purpose, not novelty — building a new kind of travel rooted in mindfulness, connection and place.
—Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
In addition to being easier to use, steamers can serve a dual purpose; the steam acts as a natural deodorizer, eliminating not only wrinkles but also odor-causing bacteria.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 July 2025
For 50-plus years, NASA astronauts have performed spacewalks outside of the International Space Station for maintenance and upgrading purposes, while wearing the Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for purpose
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Noun
Legally, the Department of Defense can make military bases available to any federal, state or local law enforcement officials for law enforcement purposes, according to the National Immigration Law Center.
—Arkansas Online, 20 July 2025
As Wolf says, cannabis hospitality’s future belongs to those who serve purpose, not novelty — building a new kind of travel rooted in mindfulness, connection and place.
—Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
In addition to being easier to use, steamers can serve a dual purpose; the steam acts as a natural deodorizer, eliminating not only wrinkles but also odor-causing bacteria.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 July 2025
For 50-plus years, NASA astronauts have performed spacewalks outside of the International Space Station for maintenance and upgrading purposes, while wearing the Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 18 July 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 29 Jul. 2025.
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