Definitions

purposive

[pur-puh-siv] / ˈpɜr pə sɪv /

ADJECTIVE

deliberate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

calculated careful cautious cold-blooded conscious meticulous premeditated prudent purposeful studious thoughtful willful

STRONG

advised considered designed express fixed intended judged planned pondered prearranged predetermined projected purposed reasoned resolved schemed studied weighed

WEAK

aforethought cut-and-dried designful done on purpose predesigned predeterminate prepense provident scrupulous thought-out voluntary wary with forethought witting

Antonyms

STRONGEST

careless heedless ignorant imprudent inattentive incautious thoughtless uncareful unmindful

STRONG

indefinite unplanned

WEAK

chance indeterminate unintentional unmethodical unsystematic unwitting

ADJECTIVE

purposeful

Synonyms

STRONGEST

calculated deliberate determined intense persistent resolute strong-willed

WEAK

be out for blood bent bound dead set on decided firm fixed intent mean business obstinate playing hard ball positive settled single-minded stalwart staunch steadfast steady stubborn tenacious undeviating unfaltering unwavering

Antonyms

STRONGEST

irresolute weak

WEAK

aimless thoughtless undetermined unplanned wanton

ADJECTIVE

useful

Synonyms

STRONGEST

advantageous appropriate convenient effective favorable fruitful good handy helpful practical pragmatic profitable proper suitable

STRONG

utile

WEAK

all-purpose applied brave commodious fit functional instrumental meet of assistance of service of use practicable propitious salutary serviceable subsidiary suited toward

Antonyms

STRONGEST

awkward bad disadvantageous disagreeable harmful hurtful impotent improper inappropriate incapable inconvenient injurious misbehaving unacceptable unfitting unhandy unhelpful unproductive unskilled unsuitable unsuited useless worthless

WEAK

unusable unvaluable

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Purposive progress rather than unconscious, telic rather than genetic, is the order of the evolution of society.

From Society Its Origin and Development by Rowe, Henry Kalloch

Purposive action is action that never finally knows, but is ever finding out its real intent, purpose being identical with the progressively discovered meaning of action.

From The Will to Doubt An essay in philosophy for the general thinker by Lloyd, Alfred H.

Purposive selection pursues its ends more directly and in general attains them far more quickly than does natural selection.

From Recent Tendencies in Ethics by Sorley, William Ritchie

purposive

Example Sentences

Related Words