purposeful

adjective

pur·​pose·​ful ˈpər-pəs-fəl How to pronounce purposeful (audio)
1
: having a purpose: such as
a
: meaningful
purposeful activities
b
: intentional
purposeful ambiguity
2
: full of determination
was soft-spoken but purposeful
purposefully adverb
purposefulness noun

Examples of purposeful in a Sentence

a soft-spoken but purposeful criminal investigator there's a difference between a purposeful lie and an accidental untruth
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
United has taken a purposeful tact in recent years to go after routes no one else flies, often to underserved destinations, and to me that’s a big win for travelers. Larry Olmsted, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025 This guidance can be used as a compass, directing us towards confident and purposeful strides in achieving our 2024 career goals. Essence, 2 Jan. 2025 The low cost and easy availability of quadcopters raise concerns that forces that do not adhere to the laws of armed conflict could use them in purposeful campaigns against civilians and civilian infrastructure. C.j. Chivers Robert Fass Krish Seenivasan Steven Szczesniak, New York Times, 31 Dec. 2024 With its sweeping hood concealing a 382 hp, 3.0-liter BMW M TwinPower Turbo inline-six engine, and with M light-alloy wheels (19-inch at the front and 20-inch at the back) wrapped in ultra-sticky Michelins, the car is purposeful, athletic, and elegant. Nick Czap, Robb Report, 26 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for purposeful 

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of purposeful was in 1853

Dictionary Entries Near purposeful

Cite this Entry

“Purposeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purposeful. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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