as in decisiveness
firm or unwavering adherence to one's purpose
approached the challenge with grim purposefulness
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Recent Examples of purposefulness
Yet his playing had an otherworldly serenity that contrasted with Williams’s gentle purposefulness.
—
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
This month also reconnects you with a sense of purposefulness.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
This month also reconnects you with a sense of purposefulness.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposefulness
Noun
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The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, and the head of Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, have been models of clarity, calm, and decisiveness.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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Beyond his onstage excellence, Grady runs our props department with remarkable effectiveness and decisiveness.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The original footage showed something remarkable — dogs acting with coordination, loyalty, and determination that stunned viewers.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
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Cloverleaf is waiting for final determination from Evergy about how much power the site would be able to use, which could impact the number of jobs.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The decisions are largely coming amid record-breaking heat and a winter that had very low snow levels in both the Rocky Mountains and the Front Range.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
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Competing for a major Army contract The X3’s unveiling comes ahead of an important procurement decision.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Freshman pitcher Raquel Pineda impressed in the circle, the defense produced several sparkling plays and the Mariners showed their resolve to edge Cypress 2-1 at Pacifica High.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
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John Castle’s journey, full of one existential calamity after another, would challenge any human’s resolve.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purposefulness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposefulness. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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