nonpurposive

adjective

Definition of nonpurposivenext
as in nondeliberate

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonpurposive
  1. unintentional
  2. random
  3. haphazard
  4. inadvertent
Adjective
  • Generally coyotes pose little threat to humans unless they have been habituated through intentional or unintentional feeding.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2026
  • At the same time, the organization conceded that traces of unintentional PFAS contamination are treated differently from intentional use.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of unintentional
Adjective
  • On the way across the bay, Melanie is attacked by a random seagull, setting up the sinister plot device.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Davis confessed to taking mushrooms, grabbing a gun, and shooting at random people in South Beach.
    — Anna McAllister, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of random
Adjective
  • After that, Grace all but disappears from Crystal Lake, exposing the haphazard plotting of a show that refuses to commit.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Violent crime, once almost unknown on the island, is rising sharply—another sign of the state’s haphazard retreat.
    — Will Freeman, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of haphazard
Adjective
  • The proposal would also establish that technical errors or inadvertent mistakes in the process cannot be a basis to stop the project.
    — Digital Producer, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • In a region as rich with archaeological sites as the American Southwest, the inadvertent disturbance of Native American remains occurs with some regularity.
    — Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of inadvertent
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.

Browse Nearby Words

nonpunitive
nonpurposive
nonrandom
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Cite this Entry

“Nonpurposive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonpurposive. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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