1
as in resolute
fully committed to achieving a goal
a soft-spoken but purposeful criminal investigator
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Springsteen hinted that the set lists for the upcoming shows will be purposeful and meet the moment at a time when many Americans are struggling to put food on the table as gas and commodities prices spike due to Trump’s now monthlong war in Iran.
—
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 Mar. 2026
His cage work is always purposeful.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Curiosity and discipline pair up as the glittering Sun conjoins responsible Saturn in your 9th House of Fascination, asking for purposeful exploration wherever your soul is drawn.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2026
Across cultures, languages and economic systems, feeling connected to the natural world is consistently linked to living a more hopeful, purposeful and resilient life.
—Lea Barbett, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purposeful
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 Mar. 2026
His cage work is always purposeful.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Curiosity and discipline pair up as the glittering Sun conjoins responsible Saturn in your 9th House of Fascination, asking for purposeful exploration wherever your soul is drawn.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2026
Across cultures, languages and economic systems, feeling connected to the natural world is consistently linked to living a more hopeful, purposeful and resilient life.
—Lea Barbett, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purposeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposeful
Adjective
-
The display showed, on the left, the face of a gray-haired man with a resolute expression, his neck vanishing into a white collar and dark suit.—
Simon Akam,
Vanity Fair,
2 Apr. 2026
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Whichever team is more resolute in executing its game plan will likely move on to the Final Four.—
Christian Babcock,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Horned Frogs can play fast in spurts, but typically TCU uses a more deliberate pace on offense, using multiple ball screens to create the right look for Miles or her teammates.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Mar. 2026
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The Leo moon supports your deliberate withdrawal.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The test probably indicates Kim is intent on enlarging and modernizing an arsenal of missiles capable of reaching the United States mainland.—
Hyung-Jin Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
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The test likely indicates Kim is intent on enlarging and modernizing an arsenal of missiles capable of reaching the United States mainland.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In the current inflationary environment, Food Lion’s focus on value and the strength of its private-label offerings are resonating with budget-conscious shoppers.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Apr. 2026
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Over time, this balance becomes your default state rather than a conscious effort.—
Brendan Keegan,
Rolling Stone,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
It was later determined that those two residents were not at home at the time of the fire, Pittsburgh Public Safety confirmed.—
Garrett Behanna,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
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Yet Americans remained determined, patient, and optimistic — committed to defeating evil.—
Gil Troy,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
With some companies pausing travel to risky areas until further notice, voluntary flight cancellations on Europe to Asia routes more than doubled in the first week of March, according to data from travel agency Perk.—
Sydney Goh,
CNBC,
4 Apr. 2026
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Overall, 92,000 jobs were lost, and the voluntary quitting rate dropped — seen as a measure of employees’ confidence in their ability to find new work.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In these past four weeks, our armed forces have delivered swift, decisive, overwhelming victories on the battlefield victories like few people have ever seen before.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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European luxury is entering a high-stakes first-quarter reporting period as sentiment has taken a decisive hit, just as many of the sector's big names were nearing a turning point after years of declining sales.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The technology enables reliable operation when users are wearing gloves, improves performance in humid or wet environments, reduces false activations, and improves detection of intentional input.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Apr. 2026
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The conversation continues to evolve as more viewers watch the video through streaming services, with reactions ranging from admiration to humor—suggesting that, intentional or not, the simplicity of the concept has become part of its appeal.—
Claire Dodds,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purposeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposeful. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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