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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of purposefully
But purposefully or not, CBS News’ changes in broadcast and political ideology have both cost them their remaining audience and alienated some remaining staff.
—
Max Tani, semafor.com, 28 May 2026
What the evidence suggests is that investing purposefully in school leadership—from preparation through the full arc of a principal's career—is one of the highest-leverage investments a district or state can make.
—Linda Darling-Hammond, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Arsenal purposefully recruited a group born within a few years of each other, who could mature together.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 19 May 2026
Designer pieces are styled purposefully to look undone or not fully completed.
—Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 14 May 2026
There is an official timekeeper who purposefully faces away from the drum to avoid any perception of bias.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 11 May 2026
At the same time, our public education system is being purposefully sabotaged by corporate elites seeking to sow doubt about our public schools in order to redirect public money straight into their pockets.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 8 May 2026
One of those blew up on its landing attempt while another was purposefully expended to get its payload to a higher orbital insertion.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
The agency previously prided itself on the program’s impartiality and, in an effort to protect its science from the influence of industry, purposefully kept the program separate from the agency offices that craft regulation.
—Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 1 May 2026
Max Tani, semafor.com, 28 May 2026
What the evidence suggests is that investing purposefully in school leadership—from preparation through the full arc of a principal's career—is one of the highest-leverage investments a district or state can make.
—Linda Darling-Hammond, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Arsenal purposefully recruited a group born within a few years of each other, who could mature together.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 19 May 2026
Designer pieces are styled purposefully to look undone or not fully completed.
—Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 14 May 2026
There is an official timekeeper who purposefully faces away from the drum to avoid any perception of bias.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 11 May 2026
At the same time, our public education system is being purposefully sabotaged by corporate elites seeking to sow doubt about our public schools in order to redirect public money straight into their pockets.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 8 May 2026
One of those blew up on its landing attempt while another was purposefully expended to get its payload to a higher orbital insertion.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
The agency previously prided itself on the program’s impartiality and, in an effort to protect its science from the influence of industry, purposefully kept the program separate from the agency offices that craft regulation.
—Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposefully
Adverb
-
After Trout was intentionally walked to load the bases, Grissom hit a sacrifice fly.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
28 May 2026
-
Bodine believes organizations need to think more intentionally about how AI systems reflect the promises companies make to customers and employees alike.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
Adverb
-
Fernando has no such accidents despite hitting the ball hard.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
-
The couple hard-launched their relationship in 2019 with their first red carpet appearance at the LACMA Art + Film Gala in LA.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
Adverb
-
The exterior design is fresh, deliberately avoiding any boring minivan traits.—
Michael Harley,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
The list was reportedly kept deliberately small amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
27 May 2026
Adverb
-
By the end of the seventeenth century, sassafras had become one of the primary exports of the early English colony of Jamestown, and the aromatic bark was harvested intensively for shipment to European markets.—
Kari Traylor,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Apr. 2026
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Armed with subpoenas, the Secret Service and other agencies are intensively focusing on what might have caused the suspect to book a room at the Washington Hilton, less than two miles north of the White House, on the night of the annual dinner.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The former Super Bowl-winning coach is one of the most respected men in the NASCAR garage, and few would purposely criticize him.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
24 May 2026
-
Fire marshals are trying to determine if the fire was purposely set and how it was started.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
23 May 2026
Adverb
-
But Thornton has been working diligently to get an increased role within the defense.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
27 May 2026
-
But energy itself – raucous, coordinated and diligently trained on every shot – seems largely spontaneous and self-generated.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
Adverb
-
When done right, such programs encourage a culture of experimentation while harnessing the expertise of intensely focused, highly specialized start-ups.—
Serguei Netessine,
Fortune,
28 May 2026
-
This temporary thyroid inflammation can cause under active thyroid levels (hypothyroidism), which lists intensely dry skin as a primary symptom.—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
28 May 2026
Adverb
-
On it, the two trade not just verses but a series of escalating, truly incendiary guitar solos, Springsteen watching Morello intently and nodding encouragement and approval, before Morello handing the reins back to Springsteen.—
Caryn Rose,
Variety,
28 May 2026
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Through it all, most Cabinet members listened intently with little emotion, except Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick — already known for conspicuously laughing loudest at such meetings — who nodded frequently and enthusiastically along this time.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purposefully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposefully. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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