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.
Special touches, like metallic piping accents on the shoulder seam, add personality to this purposeful accessory. Pamela Brill, Parents, 22 May 2025 Review workloads with your managers to ensure employees are engaged in challenging, purposeful tasks aligned with your organizational goals. Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 21 May 2025 The details surrounding Eisenhower’s immediate treatment remain a mystery, though Newton suggests that may have had more do with protecting his personal physician, who misdiagnosed the heart attack as a bout of indigestion, than a purposeful attempt to mislead the public. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025 Research from Columbia University’s Miller and others has found that spiritual development is associated with protection against depression and substance abuse, and with setting young adults up for healthier relationships, more purposeful work, and greater emotional resilience. Cornelia Powers, The Atlantic, 18 May 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Purposeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purposeful. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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