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Definitions

on purpose

ADVERB
done of one's own free will
Synonyms
WEAK
after consideration by design calculatingly consciously deliberately designed freely in cold blood intentionally knowingly of one's own free will premeditatedly premeditatively purposefully purposely purposively voluntarily willfully with eyes wide open with full intent wittingly

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.

“All the conveyor belts are broken,” said Suzy Welch, a management professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, at a recent symposium on purpose and flourishing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

If a professional boxer loses a fight on purpose, it’s called a “dive” or “tanking” and it is illegal.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2026

NBA teams are increasingly losing games on purpose to improve their draft prospects and basketball must consider every possible remedy to stamp out deliberate "tanking," the league's chief said Saturday.

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

"These companies built machines designed to addict the brains of children, and they did it on purpose," Lanier said.

From BBC • Feb. 9, 2026

She'd let her foot hit the fence rail on purpose, to prove a point.

From "Pony Problems: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #3" by Carolyn Keene