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purposely

C2
adverb

Pronunciation

UK

  • /pˈɜːpəsli/

US

  • /ˈpɜrpəsli/

Description

If you purposely do something, you do it on purpose, not by accident. Imagine a mischievous child purposely hiding their sibling's toy. It is about making a clear choice to act in a certain way. You might purposely take the scenic route home, or purposely leave yourself extra time before a meeting. The word shows that the action was planned, even if it was only a small choice.

Examples

  1. 1

    Planning

    She purposely sat near the door in case she needed to leave early.

    • Usage

      purposely is a little more formal than on purpose in everyday speech

  2. 2

    Denial

    I didn't leave your name out purposely.

  3. 3

    Storytelling

    The writer purposely kept the ending unclear.

  4. 4

    Clear communication

    The company purposely used plain language in the email to avoid confusion.

  5. 5

    Suspicious question

    Are you asking that question purposely, or do you really not know the answer?

  6. 6

    Quiet reaction

    He smiled, but he purposely said nothing about the mistake.

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • purposelyadverb