as in deliberate
made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing
facial tics and other unconscious movements that one would not normally call purposive actions
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Recent Examples of purposive
Strengthening transcendence, with its associated behaviors of being purposive, inspired, optimistic, creative, and future-oriented, helps to broaden your perspective and see beyond the immediate challenges.
—
Mary Crossan, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
For Defoe, meaning is purposive and theological, purposive because theological.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2022
Sporadic outbursts of feeling are converted into purposive and unremitting activity.
—Aldous Huxley, Harper's Magazine, 17 Aug. 2021
Mary Crossan, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
For Defoe, meaning is purposive and theological, purposive because theological.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2022
Sporadic outbursts of feeling are converted into purposive and unremitting activity.
—Aldous Huxley, Harper's Magazine, 17 Aug. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposive
Adjective
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Adams described the attack as deliberate and that Koehler intended to terrorize the victim.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
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Their learning is efficient because it’s embodied, adaptive, deliberate, and continuous.—
James Somers,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The Medicare prescription drug plan, known as Part D, is completely voluntary.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
4 Nov. 2025
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More than 1% of Americans headed west in one of the largest voluntary mass migrations in human history.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Quince Italian Leather Drawstring Pouch Crossbody The more budget-conscious crossbody has all the hallmarks of a designer bag.—
Shea Simmons,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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As a result, several surveys have indicated that this holiday shopping season may be more muted than in 2024, as increasingly budget-conscious customers grapple with rising prices and broader financial challenges.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The intentional walk has outlived its usefulness, as anybody who paid as much as $1,371 face value for a ticket to the three World Series games this week at Dodger Stadium can attest.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
31 Oct. 2025
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And that was an intentional choice.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In fact, though, this is exactly the intended consequence.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
31 Oct. 2025
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In fact, the core messages can get garbled if the media can’t keep up with the intended meaning.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Given no choice, María Ángeles acquiesces to her daughter’s wishes and moves into the seniors’ home, where a hilarious exchange with a hairdresser wanting to chop off her long silver tresses typifies her iron-willed refusal to settle in.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
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Parker will play Mary Washington, George’s strong willed mother, while Rodgers will play Sally Cary, the charming beauty of the Virginia gentry who first sees his potential.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Purposive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposive. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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