purposely

adverb

pur·​pose·​ly ˈpər-pəs-lē How to pronounce purposely (audio)
: with a deliberate or express purpose

Examples of purposely in a Sentence

the real estate agent purposely withheld information that would have discouraged us from buying the property
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
A number of Republican figures have suggested the 10-year time frame was purposely included to cover the period when Hunter Biden joined the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024 Critics assert that the AI makers have purposely censored the AI. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024 Senator Ted Cruz of Texas has accused President Joe Biden of purposely escalating the Russia-Ukraine war before Donald Trump comes into office. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024 The analysis was intended to support the prosecution’s key contention: that Deputy David Crawford was the one who purposely discharged a stun gun at the man and ignited the blaze. Cristóbal Reyes, Orlando Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for purposely 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of purposely was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near purposely

Cite this Entry

“Purposely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purposely. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

purposely

adverb
pur·​pose·​ly ˈpər-pəs-lē How to pronounce purposely (audio)
: with a clear or known purpose

Legal Definition

purposely

adverb
pur·​pose·​ly
: with a deliberate, conscious, or express purpose : intentionally

More from Merriam-Webster on purposely

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!