1
as in resolute
fully committed to achieving a goal
a soft-spoken but purposeful criminal investigator
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deliberate
made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing
there's a difference between a purposeful lie and an accidental untruth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of purposeful
Plus, the updo is perfect for a rainy day—any potential frizz and flyaways may even seem purposeful.
—
Calin Van Paris,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
Blunt thinks that ambiguity is completely purposeful.
—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Julia Ruttner is the co-founder of Salt + Ruttner Communications, helping brands and leaders drive growth through purposeful storytelling.
—
Julia Ruttner,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
That’s obviously a purposeful decision.
—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for purposeful
Calin Van Paris,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
Blunt thinks that ambiguity is completely purposeful.
—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
Julia Ruttner is the co-founder of Salt + Ruttner Communications, helping brands and leaders drive growth through purposeful storytelling.
—
Julia Ruttner,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
That’s obviously a purposeful decision.
—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for purposeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposeful
Adjective
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England’s fierce attacks in the second half were thwarted by a resolute American defense and a series of saves by goalkeeper Frank Borghi.
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Spielberg has been resolute in his beliefs since before Disclosure Day entered production.
Adjective
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What is needed now is a deliberate consolidation of overlapping groups into effective coalitions, accompanied by rigorous tracking of donors and their commitments.
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Also woven into the story is Lim Bo Seng, the real-life resistance leader who serves as a mentor figure to Kai, and Takeshi Inoue, a Japanese officer drawn with deliberate moral complexity.
Adjective
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The Kraken will now set their sights elsewhere, intent on continuing to be aggressive in their bid to add.
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Whether a court ever proves intent matters less than the lesson every European grid operator took from it.
Adjective
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Firefighters have declared the blaze knocked down but will stay on scene for flare-ups as demolition begins, while officials promise a health-conscious cleanup that minimizes impacts on surrounding residents.
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Anderson’s more low-key reveal could be chalked up to such factors as the union was her husband’s second, as well as the ongoing political unrest and cost-conscious consumers.
Adjective
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All etched into the face of a man who spent his presidency fighting to hold together a nation that seemed determined to tear itself apart.
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Well, Ariana seems to remember, whereas Hudson is determined to just undo the breakup and pretend like none of it ever happened.
Adjective
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The reason is that the administration has shrunk the requirements for reports of immunization from states, changing the reports from mandated to voluntary.
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Without control of committee gavels — and the subpoena power that comes with them — legislative inquiries from the Hill minority generally rely on the voluntary compliance from their targets to produce documents or testimony.
Adjective
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If there is no fundamental change in the Iranian leadership’s rhetoric and policy, the United States must begin preparing, alongside its partners, for a more decisive phase of wartime policymaking.
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In the first decisive victory of this tournament’s knockout stage, France dominated Sweden Tuesday with a 3-0 win that guaranteed the French another match this week.
Adjective
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Tumpa, her nephew, and Oro Recovery were also all accused of intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy by public disclosure of private facts.
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Under church law, the consecrations constitute a schismatic act, or an intentional rupture of the unity of the Catholic Church, and incur automatic excommunication for the four bishops and the bishop administering the consecration.
Cite this Entry
“Purposeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposeful. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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