Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Having a purpose; intentional.
  • adjective Having or manifesting purpose; determined.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Characterized by purpose or definite aim; having an object in view; full of purpose or meaning; of serious import or significance: opposed to aimless.
  • Hence Intended; made or introduced on purpose.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Important; material.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Having purpose; intentional.
  • adjective Having a purpose in mind; resolute; determined.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective having meaning through having an aim
  • adjective serving as or indicating the existence of a purpose or goal

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

purpose +‎ -ful

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Examples

  • He says that Canadians should employ what he calls purposeful spending.

    CTV News RSS Feed 2009

  • The only operational definition I know of for "purposeful" is "utilizing negative feedback to approach a set point"; I can help you see how that definition is operational if you'd like.

    Bunny and a Book 2008

  • She dances, or rather engages in purposeful walking with one big dramatic drop into his arms, and a shirt tug.

    'Dancing with the Stars' Week 4: We watch so you don't have to Lisa de Moraes 2010

  • But his most recent two near-future books have a very different tack: highlighting people using technology in purposeful, directed ways with very human expressive motives: making movies and playing political cat-and-mouse.

    Slow Tuesday Night 2010

  • Research indicates that children who engage in purposeful play and structured activities acquire a range of skills and abilities that provide a strong foundation for later learning and development.

    The Importance of Books and Reading in Early Learning « Literacy Articles « Articles « Literacy News 2009

  • Could it be that Obama is engaging in "purposeful inaction?"

    Obama Speaks of NASA Being Adrift - NASA Watch 2009

  • I think 'human thoughts and considerations can be and are purposeful' is one of those assumptions.

    Are dem bunny prints? 2008

  • However the fact that many living systems can obviously still modify themselves in purposeful, intelligent response to internal and environmental challenges can be viewed by non materialists as evidence against materialism.

    Aiguy's Computer 2008

  • I think 'human thoughts and considerations can be and are purposeful' is one of those assumptions.

    Are dem bunny prints? 2008

  • Behe's discussion that life, the moon and the universe in general "can be viewed" as purposeful is obviously Behe's philosophical outlook (one he is certainly entitled to have).

    A Peaceful Eve 2007

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