purposely

adverb

pur·​pose·​ly ˈpər-pəs-lē How to pronounce purposely (audio)
: with a deliberate or express purpose

Examples of purposely in a Sentence

the real estate agent purposely withheld information that would have discouraged us from buying the property
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.
Some of the little skate embryos were purposely paralyzed right before their joints would begin to cavitate. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 21 Mar. 2025 And his impulse was to build a show that felt purposely aimless. Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025 The Deliberate Mistake is like the original Mistake whiskey, except it is purposely aged for two years. Jeanette Hurt, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025 Shoham said their guards told them they were being purposely starved so that, upon their release, the images of their skeletal frames and sunken faces would inflame the Israeli public and force the Netanyahu government to broker a deal. Matt Gutman, ABC News, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for purposely

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of purposely was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Purposely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purposely. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

purposely

adverb
pur·​pose·​ly ˈpər-pəs-lē How to pronounce purposely (audio)
: with a clear or known purpose

Legal Definition

purposely

adverb
pur·​pose·​ly
: with a deliberate, conscious, or express purpose : intentionally

More from Merriam-Webster on purposely

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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