purpose 1 of 2

noun

ˈpər-pəs How to pronounce purpose (audio)
Definition of purposenext
1
as in goal
something that one hopes or intends to accomplish the purpose of the research is to discover how the virus is transmitted

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in task
the action for which a person or thing is specially fitted or used or for which a thing exists still trying to discover her purpose in life

Synonyms & Similar Words

purpose

2 of 2

verb

as in to plan
to have in mind as a purpose or goal I've been purposing to fix that thing for some time now

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun purpose contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of purpose are aim, design, end, goal, intention, intent, objective, and object. While all these words mean "what one intends to accomplish or attain," purpose suggests a more settled determination.

being successful was her purpose in life

Where would aim be a reasonable alternative to purpose?

The meanings of aim and purpose largely overlap; however, aim adds to these implications of effort directed toward attaining or accomplishing.

her aim was to raise film to an art form

When would design be a good substitute for purpose?

While the synonyms design and purpose are close in meaning, design implies a more carefully calculated plan.

the order of events came by accident, not design

When might end be a better fit than purpose?

While in some cases nearly identical to purpose, end stresses the intended effect of action often in distinction or contrast to the action or means as such.

willing to use any means to achieve his end

When can goal be used instead of purpose?

In some situations, the words goal and purpose are roughly equivalent. However, goal suggests something attained only by prolonged effort and hardship.

worked years to reach her goals

When is intent a more appropriate choice than purpose?

The words intent and purpose are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, intent suggests clearer formulation or greater deliberateness.

the clear intent of the statute

When is it sensible to use intention instead of purpose?

Although the words intention and purpose have much in common, intention implies little more than what one has in mind to do or bring about.

announced his intention to marry

How do object and end relate to one another, in the sense of purpose?

Object may equal end but more often applies to a more individually determined wish or need.

his constant object was the achievement of pleasure

In what contexts can objective take the place of purpose?

The synonyms objective and purpose are sometimes interchangeable, but objective implies something tangible and immediately attainable.

their objective is to seize the oil fields

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of purpose
Noun
Now Tamra accidently on purpose lets slip to Gina and Emily that during the previous season Katie had videotaped Shannon having a meltdown and later showed it to Alexis Bellino, Shannon’s biggest enemy in that season. —Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 18 July 2025 Scientists are still unsure of what purpose the dark oxygen serves in the ocean floor ecosystem. —Amber X. Chen, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2025 The well was bundled together with another for contracting purposes, and the cost to plug the two was more than $400,000. —Camila Domonoske, NPR, 8 July 2025 Question: My boyfriend and I bought as joint tenants a home in south Scottsdale for investment purposes. —Christopher A. Combs, AZCentral.com, 8 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for purpose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purpose
  1. goal
  2. task
  3. plan
  4. aim
  5. role
  6. intend
  7. intention
  8. job
Noun
  • After all, performance reviews often come with structured agendas, metrics and formal goals.
    — Sally Percy, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • Although the artist had specific weight loss goals, her primary focus is her mental health.
    — Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 24 July 2025
Definition of goal
Noun
  • The food truck team operators are judged on their culinary skills each week in a new town challenged with the task of creating dishes that will outsell their competition to stay in the competition.
    — Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 25 July 2025
  • Consuelos began Thursday morning's show with a simple task at the request of his wife, Kelly Ripa: Slice a banana in the vein of William Hanson, a British etiquette coach whose method of delicately cutting into the piece of fruit caused quite an on-air predicament for Consuelos.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 24 July 2025
Definition of task
Verb
  • At a July 23 capital improvements committee meeting, questions were raised about why a report from the county's facilities planning steering committee recommended projects tied to maintenance and repairs at senior facilities be put on hold or not recommended at all for the 2026 budget.
    — Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 25 July 2025
  • The school plans to kick off the upcoming high school football season with the new seating, which replaced crumbling concrete bleachers that were estimated at roughly 50 years old.
    — Katie Nixon, The Tennessean, 25 July 2025
Definition of plan
Noun
  • Just over two weeks since floods in the Texas Hill Country killed more than 130 people, Texas lawmakers start a special legislative session today with the aim of funding recovery and protecting from future disasters.
    — Blaise Gainey, NPR, 21 July 2025
  • With Intelsat’s next-generation satellite dishes and Whitaker’s peace instructors, these outposts have become beacons of hyper-technology and anti-war activism, with the aim of radiating their waves of pacifism outward.
    — Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
Definition of aim
Noun
  • Hawkins similarly mentioned the prosecution of Brett Hankison, who was sentenced to 33 months in prison for his role in Breonna Taylor's death after a recommendation of a one day sentence by the U.S. Department of Justice.
    — Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 25 July 2025
  • Leverage Influencers To Spark Organic Search Influencers play a significant role in boosting SEO performance.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Definition of role
Verb
  • According to Renaissance Capital, cornerstone investors intend to purchase 20% of the shares in the offering.
    — Beck Andrew Salgado, Austin American Statesman, 23 July 2025
  • Tuesday’s hearing is intended to determine what lessons could be learned from the investigation, what changes are necessary to make the system better and what challenges lie ahead.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 22 July 2025
Definition of intend
Noun
  • Franz Wagner has made his intentions clear to suit up for Germany while Goga Bitadze will play for the Republic of Georgia.
    — Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2025
  • That means: Starting meetings with aligned priorities, not just agendas Ending them with clear next steps, not vague intentions Tracking progress in a way that’s visible, flexible, and tied to actual outcomes Leadership isn’t about managing time.
    — Brent Gleeson, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
Definition of intention
Noun
  • Great companies create cultures where ideas matter more than job titles.
    — JJ Rosen, The Tennessean, 24 July 2025
  • Data showed across seven Valley cities that there were 158 full-time employees with a park ranger job title.
    — Maritza Dominguez, AZCentral.com, 24 July 2025
Definition of job

Phrases Containing purpose

Browse Nearby Words

purports
purpose
purposed
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Cite this Entry

“Purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purpose. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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