purse

noun

Save Word

\ ˈpərs

Definition of purse

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a(1) : a small bag for money

(2) : a receptacle (such as a pocketbook) for carrying money and often other small objects

b : a receptacle (such as a pouch) shaped like a purse

2a : resources, funds

b : a sum of money offered as a prize or present also : the total amount of money offered in prizes for a given event

purse

verb

pursed; pursing

Definition of purse (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to put into a purse

2 : pucker, knit pursed his brow

Other Words from purse Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about purse

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of purse in a Sentence

Noun a golf tournament with a million dollar purse I left my purse at home, so I can't buy anything after all. Verb She pursed her lips in concentration. His lips were tightly pursed.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Simon Pagenaud received $2,669,529 from a purse of $13,090,536 last year. — Matthew Glenesk, Indianapolis Star, "New boss Roger Penske increasing speed and purse for 2020 Indianapolis 500," 14 Feb. 2020 His thing was outsiders, trying to spot the 300–1 shot that would triumph and win a big purse from a small stake. — Deborah Orr, The New York Review of Books, "Made in Lanarkshire, Scotland," 7 Feb. 2020 The 6-furlong event for fillies and mares carries a base purse of $33,000 plus up to $9,900 for the four California-breds. — Larry Stumes, SFChronicle.com, "This Week at Golden Gate Fields, Feb. 6-9," 5 Feb. 2020 This could be in your carry-on or in a purse or backpack — just don’t pack it away. — Laurie Jennings, Good Housekeeping, "36 Tips for How to Travel With Kids That Will Save Your Next Family Vacation," 4 Feb. 2020 Helium nuclei were the first to gather a full purse of electrons en masse. — Ryan C. Fortenberry, Scientific American, "The First Molecule in the Universe," 1 Feb. 2020 This includes hosiery, shoes, jewelry, an overcoat and a purse. — Kelly Zive, Cincinnati.com, "Paris Bloom donates 50 new work-appropriate dresses to Dress For Success Cincinnati," 10 Jan. 2020 The main storage console between the driver and passenger seats can slide back 10 inches, allowing easy access to additional storage space that’s large enough to accommodate a purse or bag. — Jeff Yip, Houston Chronicle, "All-new 2021 SUV launches this summer; GMC adds adventure-ready AT4 version," 7 Feb. 2020 Shrimp shumai dumplings looked like nervous coin purses. — Mike Sutter, ExpressNews.com, "Review: Golden Wok Chinese restaurant in San Antonio’s Medical Center going strong after almost 50 years," 30 Jan. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'purse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.