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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
  • Poetry tends to be differentiated from prose by a deliberate organization of language that’s not determined by the page itself.
    — Amy Cannon, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
  • This further reinforces the need to make deliberate choices about what to build, what to license and where to focus engineering resources to create the most value.
    — Iri Trashanski, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of deliberate
Adjective
  • Healey will seek $2 million to expand free, voluntary nurse home visits to all families of roughly 68,000 newborns a year, offering help with infant care and postpartum screening.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Officers later presented them with voluntary-departure agreements, again with little explanation and without a translator, Kim said.
    — Hanna Park, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of voluntary
Adjective
  • By putting the spa before the staterooms, this design flips the superyacht script from conspicuous consumption to conscious longevity.
    — Chrissie McClatchie, Robb Report, 19 Sep. 2026
  • For years, Connecticut’s position atop the list of states with the priciest electric bills has served as an election-year mantra for Republicans and other critics of the state’s climate-conscious energy strategy.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of conscious
Adjective
  • Working in a creative field only strengthened Hayley’s desire to make every element of the celebration feel intentional rather than checking off a list of wedding customs.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
  • While Triump hasn't formally commented on the revisions, the intentional placement speaks for itself.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of intentional
Adjective
  • Manufacturers need to assess whether their operational data is accurate, accessible, consistent and suitable for the intended AI application.
    — Nishkam Batta, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • His intended farewell tour is punctuated by continuing medical responsibilities.
    — Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of intended
Adjective
  • Anyone who has a negative reaction to this is a weak-willed loser who has ZERO idea how bad Texan has become and is more than likely complicit in selling out our state.
    — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Breanna Stewart | Forward Stewart put this team on her back and practically willed it to its fifth consecutive World Cup title.
    — Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 14 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 21 Sep. 2026.

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