1
as in resolute
fully committed to achieving a goal
a soft-spoken but purposeful criminal investigator
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deliberate
made, given, or done with full awareness of what one is doing
there's a difference between a purposeful lie and an accidental untruth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of purposeful
King’s purposeful choke point continuously kept the school bus from reaching Wells’ children.
—
Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
While each family member has a specific color palette, the characters' individual costumes are also purposeful.
—Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
The reporting was powerful, the conversations were purposeful, and the beauty and fashion were unmatched.
—Essence, 31 Jan. 2026
Was that purposeful, given that everyone loved that scene from last season?
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purposeful
Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2026
While each family member has a specific color palette, the characters' individual costumes are also purposeful.
—Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
The reporting was powerful, the conversations were purposeful, and the beauty and fashion were unmatched.
—Essence, 31 Jan. 2026
Was that purposeful, given that everyone loved that scene from last season?
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purposeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposeful
Adjective
-
Tillis remained resolute in holding up the president’s Fed chair nomination in protest over a Justice Department investigation of the current one.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Sports have always represented one of humankind’s most resolute rejections of nihilism.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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That deliberate gratitude also trained them to notice all the positive things the other person was doing.—
Jelena Kecmanovic,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Nearly all of the 62-second clip appears to be from a conservative video alleging deliberate tampering with voting machines in battleground states as 2020 votes were tallied.—
Bill Barrow,
Fortune,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But already some of her allies seem intent on shutting down any criticism.—
EGINA GARCIA CANO,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Birk said the siblings, who will train in Switzerland together for a couple of weeks ahead of qualifiers, are intent on not worrying about factors beyond their control.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In June 2023, the court held that race-conscious admissions programs violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, effectively curtailing the consideration of race in colleges nationwide.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Feb. 2026
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Cost-conscious travelers should note the airport is raising parking rates, including a 40% jump at the Daily Deck, to help fund safety, infrastructure and reliability upgrades, The Charlotte Observer reported.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, Venus Williams, the 45-year-old, seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, appears determined to keep trying to win tennis matches at an age when most players have long retired.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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According to the release, 15 participating dogs have special needs, including Wynonna, a determined pup with only three legs; and Eleanor, who is both deaf and vision-impaired.—
Chris Sims,
IndyStar,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Reservists are generally deployed for tasks in the Netherlands, but have occasionally also been sent overseas on a voluntary basis, said ministry spokesperson Meijer.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Under voluntary rules, lawn watering is limited to twice a week on a rotating schedule.—
Jenny Staletovich,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that Khamenei remains the decisive figure in Iran’s system even as the regime faces pressure at home and abroad.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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Iran’s military has warned that any attack would be met with an immediate and decisive response, including strikes on US forces and assets in the region.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This is where intentional framing matters.—
Ashley Herd,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
It’s not explicitly confirmed, which is intentional.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purposeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposeful. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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