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 And it is heavily implied that Odysseus’ ally Menelaus purposefully scarred his wife Helen’s face after the Trojan War both as a punishment and so that no man would be tempted to steal her again. — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 17 July 2026 Before Bear makes his wish, the film is purposefully ambiguous about whether Nikki has any real feelings for him. — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026 The interiors are purposefully focused around the driver, and the integrated gear-change gate beneath the floating dashboard immediately catches your eye. — New Atlas, 16 July 2026 Ify purposefully fails those rooms to reach the final game, Bluff Box, in Room 8, where Parlor Room host Becca Scott presides over two small blue boxes. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 July 2026 Judicial opinions have largely focused on crimes of negligence, road rage or driving while intoxicated, and in rare instances, cases where someone purposefully drove their car into a crowd of people. — ABC News, 14 July 2026 Like them, his music seesaws between aggressive and playful, between crowd-pleasing and purposefully unpleasant. — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026 This setup, wherein a group of arbiters hide behind a curtain like the Wizard of Oz and hand down decisions that inflict generational trauma on entire countries, almost feels purposefully built to invite all sorts of wild speculation. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 14 July 2026 The body lay in the aisle, purposefully obscured from view, as patrons shopped, according to store employees. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 12 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposefully
  1. intentionally
  2. hard
  3. deliberately
  4. intensively
  5. purposely
  6. diligently
  7. intensely
  8. intently
Adverb
  • Companies and institutions must intentionally leverage AI to enhance human relationships, mentorship, and care, ensuring efficiency serves dignity and purpose, not just output.
    — Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • New York — Meta will avoid trial in a second lawsuit accusing it of intentionally addicting and harming a teen.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
Definition of intentionally
Adverb
  • Countries in Asia have been the hardest hit by Iran’s effective closure of the strait, a critical route for about 60% of the region’s energy supply.
    — Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • The short summer nights (and this week’s first quarter moon) may make faint aurora harder to see, with lingering twilight reducing the contrast required to spot a glow low on the northern horizon.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of hard
Adverb
  • The sun rules Leo, making this luminary operate with unusual strength here, which encourages us to pursue joy more deliberately and stop undermining the parts of ourselves that deserve to be seen.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
  • London has also deliberately kept humans in parts of the process where AI tools already exist.
    — Maureen Kerr, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of deliberately
Adverb
  • Claude cannot have or raise kids—intensively or otherwise—or possess any insight into yours or mine, or know what your kid wants for dinner.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 16 July 2026
  • The lower mowing ranges are commonly used for recreational turf areas that are more intensively managed.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 June 2026
Definition of intensively
Adverb
  • Milania was charged with simple assault and purposely/knowingly causing a bodily injury, law enforcement previously confirmed.
    — Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
  • Haaland, perhaps purposely for his brand, embodies the Norway of 2026.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of purposely
Adverb
  • The BestReviews Testing Lab worked diligently to prove every claim that Rowenta makes about its product.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
  • Beehiiv has worked diligently to build a broader suite of tools that will help its creators do everything from building website to selling products and services that range from eBooks to coaching to hosting podcasts, among other activities.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 16 July 2026
Definition of diligently
Adverb
  • And while affordability is an acute issue across Florida, Miami-Dade feels it most intensely.
    — Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
  • The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the less frequently or intensely the air conditioning system has to run, thereby using less electricity.
    — Destenie Nock, The Conversation, 22 July 2026
Definition of intensely
Adverb
  • The footage shows the four royals intently following the final moments of the match and then bursting into a jubilant round of applause at the final whistle, hugging one another to celebrate the achievement of the team.
    — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026
  • Kirk’s widow, Erika, clutched a tissue and watched intently as a person said to be Robinson ran across the roof.
    — Hannah Schoenbaum, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026
Definition of intently

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Cite this Entry

“Purposefully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposefully. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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