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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Both City and the Premier League claimed a victory after October’s initial ruling that found three aspects of the APTs were unlawful, most notably around the deliberate exclusion of shareholder loans, which is when a club borrows money from its ownership group, usually interest-free.—
Dan Sheldon,
The Athletic,
15 Feb. 2025
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The reality is this was a deliberate strategic provocation few will see or acknowledge.—
Ryan P. Burke,
Orlando Sentinel,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The Vatican said Sunday that Francis was using oxygen, was conscious and apparently experiencing discomfort associated with his trouble breathing.—
Elisabetta Povoledo,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2025
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The Vatican said Sunday that Francis was conscious and still receiving supplemental oxygen.—
Nicole Winfield,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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There will be three members to the firing squad team − voluntary corrections staff − and all will stand behind a wall with loaded rifles 15 feet from the inmate.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA TODAY,
22 Feb. 2025
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Johnson also can lay out his vision for the voluntary offseason program, which can begin April 7 for teams that hired new head coaches.—
Brad Biggs,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Whether the timing of the broadcast was intentional or not, Knauf was cautious in his wording about his time working with the Sussexes.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
Fox News,
26 Feb. 2025
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Earning admission to these and other competitive law programs requires intentional strategy and hands-on exploration.—
Christopher Rim,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Last year, Disney overhauled DAS to clarify its intended audience and change the way guests register for it.—
Eve Chen,
USA TODAY,
13 Feb. 2025
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Over the years, Bell has observed a multitude of uses for the basketball courts, beyond their intended purpose.—
Rebecca Cairns,
CNN,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Even more than his strong, octave-surfing Ontario accent, his willed congeniality—a mix of natural reserve and a morbid aversion to pretense—spoke to something in my bones.—
Michelle Orange,
Harper's Magazine,
14 Dec. 2023
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Read: The changing sound of male rage in rock music Underscoring his willed isolation is the fact that Fight Club intentionally seems to take place nowhere.—
Stephen Kearse,
The Atlantic,
15 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Purposive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposive. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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