purposive

adjective

ˈpər-pə-siv How to pronounce purposive (audio)
Definition of purposivenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 purposive The character dimension of transcendence underpins purposive leadership by supplying the steady, renewable energy that allows leaders to act with intention rather than impulse. — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposive
  1. deliberate
  2. voluntary
  3. conscious
  4. intentional
  5. intended
  6. willed
Adjective
  • Now, four years later, their deviations are the most deliberate and transcendent parts of their music.
    — Patrick Lyons, Pitchfork, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Slow beauty is the trend reshaping how younger shoppers buy skincare in 2026, swapping the 10-step routine for fewer products and more deliberate rituals.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of deliberate
Adjective
  • The judge dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice after Parton's estate, led by her longtime manager Danny Nozell, requested its voluntary dismissal last week, according to court records seen by ABC News.
    — Katie Kindelan, ABC News, 10 Nov. 2026
  • An employee might also forfeit or delay their unemployment benefits upon signing a buyout agreement because it could be considered a voluntary exit .
    — Itzel Franco, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of voluntary
Adjective
  • To make your bedroom a little more environmentally conscious, consider starting with the Birch Natural Mattress, a medium-firm hybrid model that’s free of polyurethane foam, fiberglass, formaldehyde, and pesticides.
    — Jacorey Moon, Architectural Digest, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Which brings us to the sustainability-conscious shopper browsing Shein at midnight.
    — Kate O'Keeffe, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of conscious
Adjective
  • There’s a lot more intimacy and longer lenses in the family scenes, especially with the baby, and that was intentional.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Having so many women running a men's D1 football program is an intentional move by head coach Glenn Caruso.
    — Marielle Mohs, CBS News, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of intentional
Adjective
  • North Korea’s Missile Administration said its cluster warheads fall into four categories, depending on their intended purpose.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Any experimentation should check intended uses and ingredient restrictions first, particularly before applying lip products near the eyes.
    — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of intended
Adjective
  • There are few occasions that garner such good-willed camaraderie in New York City as the annual marathon, though the Knicks historic win this summer brought people out into the streets in rivaling numbers.
    — Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Originally unveiled at the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show and put into production in 2005, the Bugatti Veyron was a moonshot project essentially willed into existence by Ferdinand Piëch.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of willed

Browse Nearby Words

purposing
purposive
purposively
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Cite this Entry

“Purposive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposive. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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