purpose 1 of 2

purpose

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun purpose contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of purpose are aim, design, end, goal, intention, intent, objective, and object. While all these words mean "what one intends to accomplish or attain," purpose suggests a more settled determination.

being successful was her purpose in life

Where would aim be a reasonable alternative to purpose?

The meanings of aim and purpose largely overlap; however, aim adds to these implications of effort directed toward attaining or accomplishing.

her aim was to raise film to an art form

When would design be a good substitute for purpose?

While the synonyms design and purpose are close in meaning, design implies a more carefully calculated plan.

the order of events came by accident, not design

When might end be a better fit than purpose?

While in some cases nearly identical to purpose, end stresses the intended effect of action often in distinction or contrast to the action or means as such.

willing to use any means to achieve his end

When can goal be used instead of purpose?

In some situations, the words goal and purpose are roughly equivalent. However, goal suggests something attained only by prolonged effort and hardship.

worked years to reach her goals

When is intent a more appropriate choice than purpose?

The words intent and purpose are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, intent suggests clearer formulation or greater deliberateness.

the clear intent of the statute

When is it sensible to use intention instead of purpose?

Although the words intention and purpose have much in common, intention implies little more than what one has in mind to do or bring about.

announced his intention to marry

How do object and end relate to one another, in the sense of purpose?

Object may equal end but more often applies to a more individually determined wish or need.

his constant object was the achievement of pleasure

In what contexts can objective take the place of purpose?

The synonyms objective and purpose are sometimes interchangeable, but objective implies something tangible and immediately attainable.

their objective is to seize the oil fields

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of purpose
Noun
Users can examine the prompts and the chats that made those examples possible and even modify them for their own purposes. ArsTechnica, 26 June 2025 The purpose of the grants is to address the climate crisis and various environmental harms at the local level. Tracy J. Wholf june 26, CBS News, 26 June 2025 The case for transportation for the purposes of prostitution Experts largely agreed the two charges of transportation for the purposes of prostitution, stemming from the Mann Act, are likely the easiest for the prosecution to prove, with clearer evidence and less ambiguity than the others. Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 25 June 2025 Expand your sense of purpose through meaningful service. Usa Today, USA Today, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for purpose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purpose
Noun
  • After being shut out in the group stage opener, Man City's superstar Erling Haaland has caught fire, scoring a goal in each of their past two matches.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
  • While the goal is often to shield the team from stress or failure, this approach can be counterproductive.
    Luciana Paulise, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • In addition to their other tasks, house cleaners will arrange little items like these neatly.
    Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 30 June 2025
  • The next task was finding a dog to adopt and Perez located a breeder in downstate Metcalf.
    Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • At the time, the app was only streaming sports trading card sellers but was planning to expand.
    Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 30 June 2025
  • Recalibrate and communicate benefits around employee needs and value – Over the next three years according to the new survey, more than half (57%) of employers plan to reallocate or rebalance their benefit spending, adding or enhancing some benefits while reducing or removing others.
    John M. Bremen, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • The aim is to remove tariffs and other trade barriers to ease the movement of goods in a continent of around 1.5 billion inhabitants.
    Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 27 June 2025
  • Casting for the female lead is underway, the aim being to shoot later this year.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Diesel has been synonymous with Fast and Furious, given his role as Dominic Toretto in the series that began as a street racing movie in 2001.
    Saajan Jogia, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025
  • Diesel revealed that his return to the eleventh installment of the blockbuster series came with a few non-negotiable conditions—one of which was directly tied to Paul Walker’s iconic role.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • No, Squid Game was not intended to be three seasons.
    Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 28 June 2025
  • Striped Button-downs Nautical stripes have been making major waves this summer (no pun intended), especially in the form of a breezy button-down top.
    Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • However, despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of physicians have the best of intentions, these new rules will have a chilling effect on both veterans seeking health care and providers caring for them.
    Flavia Mangan Colgan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2025
  • Her intentions may have been good, but your mother’s edict was not helpful.
    R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • In the first episode of the series, it is revealed that 10 years ago, Gi-hun was laid off from an assembly job at Dragon Motor, a car manufacturing plant.
    Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 29 June 2025
  • Our job is to draw a red line between those two groups.
    Ashish Valentine, NPR, 29 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purpose. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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