purposefully
Americanadverb
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in a determined or resolute way.
Many runners break down in the marathon’s second half, but I stayed positive as I painfully and purposefully placed one foot in front of the other.
-
in a thoughtful and focused way, with a serious desire to accomplish something.
The Family Fun Cooking Classes are designed to educate, but more importantly, to encourage adults in our community to purposefully spend time with young people.
-
with intention; deliberately; purposely.
He maliciously and purposefully slammed the car door on my foot, resulting in a fracture.
Etymology
Origin of purposefully
Compare meaning
How does purposefully compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We were led on by my sister purposefully and by my mother unintentionally.
From Literature
In their show notes, the designers described "mutations from within, visible to the exterior" as fabrics looked as if they had been purposefully eaten away or distressed, revealing hidden mysteries beneath.
From Barron's
The images are purposefully composed, but why paint them?
From Los Angeles Times
There is purposefully no adherence to historical accuracy, particularly in the costumes.
From Los Angeles Times
But she purposefully avoided the scorched-earth narrative she might have leaned on a decade ago.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
