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  • Word comparison: purposely vs. purposefully

purposely vs. purposefully

purposely vs. purposefully: 's the difference?

Purposely and purposefully can both mean intentionally or deliberately, but they also have their own distinct alternate meanings. Purposely means for a particular purpose, as in She purposely mentioned the committee member’s work during the presentation. Purposefully means in a determined or thoughtful way, as in Though my heart was pounding, I pushed the door open purposefully.

purposely

adverb

  1. intentionally; deliberately:

    He tripped me purposely.

  2. with the particular purpose specified; expressly:

    I wore that suit purposely to make a good impression.

purposefully

adverb

  1. in a determined or resolute way:

    Many runners break down in the marathon’s second half, but I stayed positive as I painfully and purposefully placed one foot in front of the other.

  2. in a thoughtful and focused way, with a serious desire to accomplish something:

    The Family Fun Cooking Classes are designed to educate, but more importantly, to encourage adults in our community to purposefully spend time with young people.

  3. with intention; deliberately; purposely:

    He maliciously and purposefully slammed the car door on my foot, resulting in a fracture.