adv · 2 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
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General-American:/ˈpɝpəsli/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈpɜːpəsli/
CMU ARPABET:P ER1 P AH0 S L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
On purpose; intentionally.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: deliberately, intentionally, on purpose, purposefully[proscribed]]>, wilfully, willfully
Antonyms: none provided
2
adverb
Meaning 2
with intention; in an intentional manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he used that word intentionally
I did this by choice
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: intentionally, deliberately, designedly, on purpose, advisedly, by choice, by design
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English purposly; equivalent to purpose + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
27 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
нарочно
(naročno)
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Chinese:
刁工
(zh-min-nan)
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Chinese Mandarin:
故意
(gùyì)
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Czech:
schválně
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Finnish:
tahallaan
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Finnish:
tarkoituksellisesti
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Finnish:
varta vasten
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Finnish:
tieten tahtoen
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
French:
exprès
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
German:
absichtlich
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Hungarian:
szándékosan
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Irish:
d'aon toisc
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Italian:
apposta
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Italian:
di proposito
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Italian:
intenzionalmente
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Japanese:
わざと
(wazato)
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Latin:
consultō
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Polish:
celowo
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Portuguese:
propositadamente
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Russian:
наме́ренно
(namérenno)
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Russian:
специа́льно
(speciálʹno)
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Scottish Gaelic:
a dh'aon ghnothach
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Spanish:
intencionadamente
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Spanish:
aposta
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Spanish:
a propósito
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Swedish:
avsiktligt
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
Ottoman Turkish:
مخصوص
(mahsus)
— on purpose; intentionally — see also on purpose, intentionally
