purposive
adjective
pur·po·sive
ˈpər-pə-siv 
(ˌ)pər-ˈpō-
(ˌ)pər-ˈpō-
1
: serving or effecting a useful function though not as a result of planning or design
2
: having or tending to fulfill a conscious purpose or design : purposeful
purposively
adverb
purposiveness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of purposive in a Sentence
facial tics and other unconscious movements that one would not normally call purposive actions
Recent Examples on the Web
For Defoe, meaning is purposive and theological, purposive because theological.
—
James Wood, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2022
Sporadic outbursts of feeling are converted into purposive and unremitting activity.
—Aldous Huxley, Harper's Magazine, 17 Aug. 2021
In this sense, history is not only rational but also providential: designed, purposive, teleological.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 25 May 2020
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.
James Wood, The New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2022
Sporadic outbursts of feeling are converted into purposive and unremitting activity.
—Aldous Huxley, Harper's Magazine, 17 Aug. 2021
In this sense, history is not only rational but also providential: designed, purposive, teleological.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 25 May 2020
Dictionary Entries Near purposive
Cite this Entry
“Purposive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purposive. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share