purposely

adverb

pur·​pose·​ly ˈpər-pəs-lē How to pronounce purposely (audio)
Synonyms of purposelynext
: with a deliberate or express purpose

Synonyms of purposely

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Examples of purposely in a Sentence

the real estate agent purposely withheld information that would have discouraged us from buying the property
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While the citations described dangerous driving, the murder charges will require the prosecution to prove that Battiloro purposely caused the deaths, Bramnick said. — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 Ryu knows the real truth about Ken but keeps it to himself and has become a loner, a man purposely hiding from his past cooking up a new identity in the food world. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026 The change of pace at the pre-chorus was purposely temporary. — Tom Roland, Billboard, 14 Oct. 2026 It was purposely drawn by the state’s independent redistricting commission to be the most competitive in Colorado — and the most heavily Latino. — John Aguilar, Denver Post, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for purposely

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of purposely was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

purposelike
purposely
purpose-made
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Purposely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purposely. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

purposely

adverb
pur·​pose·​ly ˈpər-pəs-lē How to pronounce purposely (audio)
: with a clear or known purpose

Legal Definition

purposely

adverb
pur·​pose·​ly
: with a deliberate, conscious, or express purpose : intentionally
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