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.
Make a purposeful commitment to your goals and seek opportunities that challenge you. Shay Levister, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024 The agent, Joel Wolfe of the Wasserman Media Group, described Sasaki as purposeful. Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024 Best Hotels and Resorts Forestis Everything about Forestis is purposeful and narrative-driven. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 10 Dec. 2024 Wright suggests using wooden trays or boxes as purposeful accents. Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 4 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 22 Dec. 2024.

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