Standard Lemma guide

purposefully

adv · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈpɜː.pəs.fə.li/
  • General-American: /ˈpɝ.pəs.fə.li/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P ER1 P AH0 S F AH0 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In a purposeful (“resolute, determined”) manner: resolutely, determinedly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

In a purposeful (“intentional”) manner: intentionally, on purpose, purposely, deliberately.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deliberately, intentionally, purposely, wilfully, willfully

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

in a purposeful manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he caught the motorcycles in the full glare of his headlights, braked and slipped purposefully out of the car

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English purposeful Middle English -ly English -ly English purposefully From purposeful + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: päättäväisesti — in a resolute, determined manner; resolutely
  • French: résolument — in a resolute, determined manner; resolutely
  • French: décidément — in a resolute, determined manner; resolutely
  • Portuguese: decididamente — in a resolute, determined manner; resolutely
  • Finnish: määrätietoisesti — in an intentional manner; intentionally, on purpose
  • French: sciemment — in an intentional manner; intentionally, on purpose
  • French: délibérément — in an intentional manner; intentionally, on purpose
  • French: intentionnellement — in an intentional manner; intentionally, on purpose
  • Portuguese: deliberadamente — in an intentional manner; intentionally, on purpose
  • Portuguese: intencionalmente — in an intentional manner; intentionally, on purpose
  • Spanish: adrede — in an intentional manner; intentionally, on purpose
  • Spanish: adredemente — in an intentional manner; intentionally, on purpose
  • Spanish: exprofeso — in an intentional manner; intentionally, on purpose