purposely

adverb

ˈpər-pəs-lē How to pronounce purposely (audio)
Definition of purposelynext
as in intentionally
with full awareness of what one is doing the real estate agent purposely withheld information that would have discouraged us from buying the property

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of purposely These fish can’t really be classified as invasive, however, because the state purposely stocked the South American imports in the early 1980s for two reasons. — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 26 Aug. 2026 The company first disclosed in July that during a cybersecurity exam, a combination of its AI agents with internal safeguards purposely lowered escaped their testing environment through a previously unknown bug. — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026 Use your newfound time purposely, with projects or activities that are meaningful to you. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 17 Aug. 2026 But unlike Tyesha, who had been shot in the back of the head, Mosser’s dad purposely did not return home, and only reappeared after getting arrested for faking his death and stealing another man’s identity. — Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for purposely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposely
  1. intentionally
  2. deliberately
Adverb
  • The center’s name intentionally evokes both scale and possibility.
    — Sarah Belmont for ArtNews, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The commission would have to hold three public hearings and could not make changes that intentionally favor a political party or unnecessarily divide communities.
    — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of intentionally
Adverb
  • God seems deliberately to have created variety and cognitive function in the human species.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Investigators were trying to determine Wednesday whether the robot's actions were deliberately controlled by two young men who apparently livestreamed the incident in the western city of Cologne on social media.
    — October 14, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of deliberately

Browse Nearby Words

purposeless
purposely
purposes
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Purposely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposely. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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