as in deliberate
made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing
facial tics and other unconscious movements that one would not normally call purposive actions
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Recent Examples of purposive
Strengthening transcendence, with its associated behaviors of being purposive, inspired, optimistic, creative, and future-oriented, helps to broaden your perspective and see beyond the immediate challenges.
—
Mary Crossan, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
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
Mary Crossan, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposive
Adjective
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The deliberate elimination of gender-affirming care in many states is a serious human rights violation.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
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As the recovery needle for Chinook moves in the wrong direction, Katz said deliberate action is urgent.—
Alastair Bland | CalMatters,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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First responders arrived at the scene around 10:03 a.m. to find Joseph conscious and alert, the sheriff's office said.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2025
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Diplomatic and socially conscious, Mitchell chooses to keep the peace in his relationships, especially seeing both sides of an argument, just like Libra.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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What's Being Recalled And Why The voluntary recall was initiated by Cabot’s parent company, Agri-Mark, Inc., on March 26, 2025, after internal testing detected elevated levels of coliform bacteria.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
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There is simply no justification for expanding involuntary outpatient commitment without studies that definitively prove that involuntary treatment is more effective than voluntary treatment.—
Ruth Lowenkron,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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These new regulations are meant to reduce the chances of intentional or unintentional targeting of white sharks, which not only harms the animals but also increases public safety risks.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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This is often not intentional fraud but is due to the handler not understanding the difference between an ESA and a service dog.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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For now, the most exclusive address in American diplomacy stands empty, its intended resident sidelined by the tough math of congressional politics.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
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An average dE of below 2 indicates color accurate enough that a casual observer may be unable to distinguish any variation between the color on screen and the intended (source) color.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Carnegie is convinced that sincerity is as easily willed as a ready smile and a memory for names.—
Ann Hulbert,
Harper's Magazine,
28 Feb. 2025
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The entire texture of that life, its willed imposture.—
Joyce Carol Oates,
The New Yorker,
16 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Purposive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposive. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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