1
as in resolute
fully committed to achieving a goal
a soft-spoken but purposeful criminal investigator
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of purposeful
Once calm returns, squeeze your brain with purposeful tension.
—
Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
The Athletics receive plenty of deserved flak about playing in Sacramento — which was a purposeful move — while Tampa Bay continues to play elite baseball despite playing home games in another minor-league park (not purposeful) and continuing to pinch pennies.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 8 July 2025
From track to track, the singer’s voice seems to change in tone too—perhaps a quirk of generativity—making the collection feel less like a purposeful LP and more like a blind-bag gamble.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 4 July 2025
Lemmer, who has four children ages 7 months through 12 years old, is taking a more purposeful approach to real estate.
—Tom Daykin, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for purposeful
Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
The Athletics receive plenty of deserved flak about playing in Sacramento — which was a purposeful move — while Tampa Bay continues to play elite baseball despite playing home games in another minor-league park (not purposeful) and continuing to pinch pennies.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 8 July 2025
From track to track, the singer’s voice seems to change in tone too—perhaps a quirk of generativity—making the collection feel less like a purposeful LP and more like a blind-bag gamble.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 4 July 2025
Lemmer, who has four children ages 7 months through 12 years old, is taking a more purposeful approach to real estate.
—Tom Daykin, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for purposeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposeful
Adjective
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Corenswet has the right look—he’s got the glossy black hair, the resolute jaw—which points to another general Superman strength, particularly on film.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
11 July 2025
-
While many Iranians have left Tehran amid ongoing turmoil, those who remain are resolute in their commitment to stay and support one another.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
Choosing to slow decision-making processes and make deliberate moves can seem radical in a competitive business market, but this investment over time can result in significant changes with lasting effects.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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While clutter implies disorganization or neglect, the messy girl look is a deliberate embrace of imperfection that still feels cozy and intentional.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
Would Pelle Larsson remain a feisty presence intent on challenging for a rotation role?—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
15 July 2025
-
Gale would be profoundly disappointed to see that, a century after this essay, the US government seems intent on going backwards rather than forwards.—
Deborah Williams
July 14,
Literary Hub,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
The discovery triggered a kind of synaptic flooding, a wave of memory overwhelming its conscious embankment.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
-
Processing cheap rare earth is a nasty business using dangerous acid precursors that come with inherent risks, which bump up the prices of processing in the environmentally conscious West.—
Clem Chambers,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
By morning, they were determined to find a way out.—
Julianna Bragg,
CNN Money,
20 July 2025
-
With a bout against WBA champion Fernando Daniel Martinez already confirmed for November, Rodriguez must first take care of business against a dangerous and determined Cafu.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
Adjective
-
Viewers and listeners of PBS and NPR are significantly more affluent than the average American, which gives them the means to support public broadcasting through voluntary contributions.—
The Editors,
National Review,
14 July 2025
-
On June 9, Alma Pak International LLC announced a voluntary recall of 400 boxes of its organic blueberries due to the presence of Listeria monocytogenes.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
The idea that no one was born inherently superior, that status wasn’t tied to birth but to citizenship and shared rights, was a radical break in human history and a decisive rejection of Old World European ideology.—
Jared Nordlund,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 July 2025
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The second set ultimately went all the way to a tiebreak, and after trading two mini-breaks apiece, the British pair gained a decisive two-point advantage, aided by a Pel double-fault.—
Leon Imber,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
As the investigation continues, a growing body of evidence suggests the possibility that the crash was intentional, fueled debate over how pilots are screened, supported and monitored for mental health concerns.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
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For example, many industries are intentional about cultivating parasocial relationships, such as professional sports leagues with their athletes, music companies with their artists, and even political parties with their candidates.—
Eric Wood,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Purposeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposeful. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.
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