1
b
2
: a subject under discussion or an action in course of execution
Synonyms
Examples of purpose in a Sentence
Noun
Shocking as it is, more than a month after the hurricane hit, New Orleans is still, for all practical purposes, a ghost town.
—
Tom Piazza, Why New Orleans Matters, 2005
By the time … American aid began pouring in, to all intents and purposes the war had already been lost.
—Neil L. Jamieson, Understanding Vietnam, 1993
But wartime wage and price controls prevented companies from competing for the available talent by means of increased salaries. They had to compete with fringe benefits instead, and free health insurance was tailor-made for this purpose.
—John Steele Gordon, American Heritage, May - June 1992
His purpose is to realize himself, to live the fullest possible life, and he is responsible for this, like all men, regardless of how society treats him.
—Shelby Steele, Wilson Quarterly, Summer 1990
The purpose of the new resort is to attract more tourists.
The loans are small but they serve a good purpose.
Sometimes his life seemed to lack purpose or meaning.
We started work again with a renewed sense of purpose.
Verb
I have not purposed to misrepresent this boy in any way, for what little indignation he excited in me soon passed and left nothing behind it but compassion.
—Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad, 1880
The child then explained that they had left the races on the first day, and were travelling to the next town on that road, where they purposed to spend the night.
—Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop, 1841
I've been purposing to fix that thing for some time now.
Tom Piazza, Why New Orleans Matters, 2005
By the time … American aid began pouring in, to all intents and purposes the war had already been lost.
—Neil L. Jamieson, Understanding Vietnam, 1993
But wartime wage and price controls prevented companies from competing for the available talent by means of increased salaries. They had to compete with fringe benefits instead, and free health insurance was tailor-made for this purpose.
—John Steele Gordon, American Heritage, May - June 1992
His purpose is to realize himself, to live the fullest possible life, and he is responsible for this, like all men, regardless of how society treats him.
—Shelby Steele, Wilson Quarterly, Summer 1990
The purpose of the new resort is to attract more tourists.
The loans are small but they serve a good purpose.
Sometimes his life seemed to lack purpose or meaning.
We started work again with a renewed sense of purpose.
Verb
I have not purposed to misrepresent this boy in any way, for what little indignation he excited in me soon passed and left nothing behind it but compassion.
—Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad, 1880
The child then explained that they had left the races on the first day, and were travelling to the next town on that road, where they purposed to spend the night.
—Charles Dickens, The Old Curiosity Shop, 1841
I've been purposing to fix that thing for some time now.
Recent Examples on the Web
Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
In short, quantum computing needs to have a purpose.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
The length of this deal may be a red herring of sorts, as teams are doing longer contracts to lower the AAV for luxury-tax purposes, something the Yankees of all teams will always have to consider.
—Keith Law, The Athletic, 11 Dec. 2024
Disclaimer and Disclosure The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, legal, or other advice.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for purpose 
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.
Noun
Exceptions will allow continued use of the butterflies for educational purposes and certain incidental activities like vehicle strikes.
—Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
In short, quantum computing needs to have a purpose.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
The length of this deal may be a red herring of sorts, as teams are doing longer contracts to lower the AAV for luxury-tax purposes, something the Yankees of all teams will always have to consider.
—Keith Law, The Athletic, 11 Dec. 2024
Disclaimer and Disclosure The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, legal, or other advice.
—Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for purpose
Articles Related to purpose
Dictionary Entries Near purpose
Cite this Entry
“Purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purpose. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share