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⇱ purpose - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

purpose

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈpɜːrpəs/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈpɝpəs/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(pûr′pəs)

Inflections of 'purpose' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
purposes
v 3rd person singular
purposing
v pres p
purposed
v past
purposed
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pur•pose /ˈpɜrpəs/USA pronunciation   n. 
  1. the reason for which something exists or is done, made, etc.:[countable]For what purpose are we meeting today?
  2. an intended or desired result;
    aim;
    goal:[countable]His purpose in life was to get rich.
  3. willingness to accomplish or achieve some goal or aim;
    resoluteness:[uncountable]A good student has to have a sense of purpose.
Idioms
  1. Idioms on purpose, intentionally:She spilled the paint on purpose.

pur•pose•less, adj. See -pos-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
pur•pose  (pûr′pəs),USA pronunciation n., v., -posed, -pos•ing. 
n. 
  1. the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc.
  2. an intended or desired result;
    end;
    aim;
    goal.
  3. determination;
    resoluteness.
  4. the subject in hand;
    the point at issue.
  5. practical result, effect, or advantage:to act to good purpose.
  6. Idioms on purpose, by design;
    intentionally:How could you do such a thing on purpose?
  7. Idioms to the purpose, relevant;
    to the point:Her objections were not to the purpose.

v.t. 
  1. to set as an aim, intention, or goal for oneself.
  2. to intend;
    design.
  3. to resolve (to do something):He purposed to change his way of life radically.

v.i. 
  1. to have a purpose.
  • Anglo-French, Old French purposer
  • Old French, derivative of purposer, variant of proposer to propose; (verb, verbal) Middle English purposen
  • (noun, nominal) Middle English purpos 1250–1300
    1. object, point, rationale. See intention. 9. mean, contemplate, plan.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
purpose /ˈpɜːpəs/ n
  1. the reason for which anything is done, created, or exists
  2. a fixed design, outcome, or idea that is the object of an action or other effort
  3. fixed intention in doing something; determination: a woman of purpose
  4. practical advantage or use: to work to good purpose
  5. that which is relevant or under consideration (esp in the phrase to or from the purpose)
  6. archaic purport
  7. on purpose ⇒ intentionally
 vb (transitive)
  1. to intend or determine to do (something)
Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French porpos, from porposer to plan, from Latin prōpōnere to propose
'purpose' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: the [ultimate, proposed, intended, original] purpose, did not [do, say, forget] it on purpose, has a [special, particular] purpose, more...

Forum discussions with the word(s) "purpose" in the title:

... the only purpose of triggering an overloaded version ...
'for' to show purpose at the beginning of a sentence
'have something done' used as an infinitive of purpose
'To infinitive' used for purpose or result?
“Programming with a Purpose” course provided by Princeton University, “Java Fundamentals” course.... [ listing courses ]
a man who was not easily turned from his purpose
a pride of purpose?
A puritanical sense of purpose
a purpose growing
a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members
a sense of purpose
a sense of purpose / positive attitude
a sense of purpose and meaning
About That is + verb used for purpose
Achieve (one's) purpose
act without ulterior motives/act without a purpose
adjectival infinitive or infinitive of purpose
Adverbial clause of purpose
adverbial clause of result or purpose
adverbial clauses of purpose
adverbial of purpose or result
Adverbs of purpose
Aestheticism, late 19th-century.. or other purpose(fragment)
Aim or purpose?
aim, purpose, reason
aim, target, goal, purpose
all-purpose nerd
allocated to that purpose
an access to exchanging the plate or an access for the purpose of exchanging the plate
an adverbial clause of result or purpose
more...

Look up "purpose" at Merriam-Webster
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