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purposely
[ pur-puhs-lee ]
adverb
- intentionally; deliberately:
He tripped me purposely.
I wore that suit purposely to make a good impression.
purposely
/ ˈɜːəɪ /
adverb
- for a definite reason; on purpose
Usage
Other 51Թ Forms
- ܲ·ܰpDz· adverb
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of purposely1
Compare Meanings
How does purposely compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
He added that he would "purposely play up the rivalry between Tom's character and mine off screen" as well as on.
When some suggested National Security Advisor Mike Waltz was “purposely” behind the release of information, we all could howl.
After a failed PIT maneuver to immobilize the car in the parking lot, the burglars fled, purposely hitting a police vehicle to get away, police said.
“It’s so interesting to watch companies purposely destroy their customer loyalty for no real reason,” user @LoveWammie tweeted.
“The Cal Bar can know that there are problems — and they did know there were problems because they gave a mock exam — but that doesn’t mean that they purposely defrauded someone.”
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Related 51Թs
More About Purposely
What doespurposely mean?
Purposely is used to describe an action done intentionally, deliberately, or for a specific reason.
The word purposefully means in a determined way or in a way that’s full of purpose. It should not be used to mean intentionally or deliberately.
Example: I show up late to parties purposely so I’m not the first one there.
Where doespurposely come from?
The first records of purposely come from the late 1400s. It’s the adverb form of the noun purpose, meaning “a reason,” “intended result,” or “goal.” (The adverb-forming suffix -ly is usually added to adjectives, but in this case it’s added to a noun.)
When purposely means “intentionally” or “deliberately,” it’s synonymous with the phrase on purpose. It’s often used to indicate that an action was not accidental. Sometimes, it might even imply that an action was malicious, meaning it was done to harm someone, as in You purposely left that there so I would trip over it!
Purposely is also used to emphasize that an action was done with a specific purpose, as in All the paintings have been positioned purposely to recreate the original state of the collection.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to purposely?
- purpose (noun)
What are some synonyms for purposely?
What are some words that share a root or word element with purposely?
What are some words that often get used in discussing purposely?
What are some words purposely may be commonly confused with?
How ispurposely used in real life?
Purposely is often used when talking about people’s intentions. It’s less commonly used than synonyms like intentionally, deliberately, and on purpose.
do you ever be extra boring purposely so that people will leave you alone
— 𝔞𝔟𝔢𝔫𝔞⁷🦋 (@__fatcheeks)
People who call you on WhatsApp are purposely trying to be inconvenient
— Fintan Tarantino (@Fionnanof17)
Mycenean Greeks buried their dead into beehive tombs. Those tombs are built in a way that purposely looks like a beehive. It consists if stone arranged to imitate the shape, which is left to be overgrown by vegetation. Like the barrows of Northern Europe, before the excavations..
— Pallando the Blue (@KomninosM)
Try usingpurposely!
Which of the following words would NOT be used to describe an action that was done purposely?
A. intentional
B. deliberate
C. accidental
D. conscious
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