purposefully

adverb

1
as in intentionally
with full awareness of what one is doing he purposefully chose the more difficult route to the mountain summit

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hard
with great effort or determination strode purposefully into the boss's office, determined to ask for a raise

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 purposefully This individual asset is often referred to as zest, and it can be purposefully developed to assist us in managing daily stressors as well as creating meaningful lives. — Joan M. Cook, Time, 17 Oct. 2026 However, Rob Shuter is reporting that Meghan believes Kate purposefully humiliated her by recently taking Princess Charlotte on the London Underground. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 15 Oct. 2026 Maybe the Brewers have instructed their hitters to purposefully hit the ball poorly, while the Dodgers hitting staff keeps telling Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Shohei Ohtani to hit the ball hard directly at Milwaukee defensive players. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Just as infinite intelligence guides migrating birds, divine Mind purposefully guides us, too. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 15 Oct. 2026 Rather than slicking the head in hair gel, Magallones purposefully keeps the product use to a minimum, allowing for natural curls to come through on top of the head. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026 His loneliness is somewhat mitigated by the other sentient AIs he’s uploaded to his mindspace, envisioned by creator Terry Matalas (Syfy’s 12 Monkeys) as a big white house on a purposefully digital green lawn. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026 Those in opposition claim the ambiguous language was used purposefully. — Tara Molina, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 Andie is a creature of pure ambition and nearly blank morality, a sweatshirt-wearing, 2000s-era daughter of Lady Macbeth and Faye Dunaway in Network, though Wever purposefully didn’t revisit that film to keep her own performance distinct. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposefully
  1. intentionally
  2. hard
  3. deliberately
  4. intensively
  5. purposely
  6. diligently
  7. intensely
  8. intently
Adverb
  • Brendan Nugent, 43, has been charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury and intentionally causing serious injury, as well as the federal crime of harming a public official, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The alleged attacker, 43-year-old Brendan Nugent, faced court on Wednesday charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury and causing harm to a Commonwealth public official.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of intentionally
Adverb
  • And even DeVonta Smith, who made his return from injury Sunday, landed hard in the fourth quarter and appeared to be shaken up.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The Capricorn Moon squares the Sun in your sign, making private responsibilities or family dynamics harder to tune out.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of hard
Adverb
  • The Gibson family, for their part, has never accepted that Sidney and Patrick deliberately set out on an untethered flight.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Think smoky eyes, deeper hues, crimped hair and deliberately imperfect textures.
    — Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of deliberately
Adverb
  • Newsom, by contrast, may need to begin campaigning intensively after leaving office rather than wait for Harris’s decision.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The pork producers group has also intensively lobbied for legislation called the Save Our Bacon Act, which would overturn the state laws.
    — Kenny Torrella, Vox, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of intensively
Adverb
  • While the citations described dangerous driving, the murder charges will require the prosecution to prove that Battiloro purposely caused the deaths, Bramnick said.
    — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Ryu knows the real truth about Ken but keeps it to himself and has become a loner, a man purposely hiding from his past cooking up a new identity in the food world.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of purposely
Adverb
  • In an update, King said that his investigators were working diligently to learn what led to the death of 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem onboard the ride, and will continue to review the evidence, equipment, and relevant documentation.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Since the dawn of time, the experts tell us, those who got ahead financially lived within their means, saved diligently and spent and invested carefully.
    — Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of diligently
Adverb
  • Her intensely blue eyes are showcased at the pull-focus feature of her face.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
  • And at a time when Microsoft is intensely focused on competing in the AI race, many industry observers wonder how committed the company is to the gaming business, and if Nadella has put Sharma in charge to prepare for an eventual sale or spinoff.
    — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of intensely
Adverb
  • The group listens intently as a symphony of airplanes, freeway traffic and the ploop!
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Acuña was tended to for several minutes by the Braves trainer, with Weiss looking on intently, before heading straight to the home clubhouse.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of intently

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purposeful
purposefully
purposefulness
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Cite this Entry

“Purposefully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposefully. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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