1
as in goals
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 roles
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
as in plans
to have in mind as a purpose or goal
I've been purposing to fix that thing for some time now
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of purposes
Ethan M. Stone, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
Marvel has publicly acknowledged that the studio's productions often scan actors' bodies, though the scans are generally only used for visual effects purposes rather than storing actors' likenesses for future projects.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026
The addresses listed are those given for tax purposes.
—Gege Reed, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Jan. 2026
This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice.
—Maria Williams, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Changing residency or claiming non-residency for tax purposes can also trigger a second set of rules.
—Robert Frank, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 7 Jan. 2026
These innovations can be used for a variety of purposes, including assisting humans with tasks, conducting research, or performing dangerous or tedious jobs.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025
For the purposes of this guide, the American South comprises Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Atlanta.
—Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposes
Noun
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Brett Hull, a dual citizen who was born in Canada and played internationally for the United States, had 741 goals.—
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Bringing Arcadia and Big Red food to customers year-round at festivals, corporate events, weddings, private parties and community events is another of Nguyen’s goals.—
Noun
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After doing some work onstage, the actor and comedian finally began appearing on-screen in the 1970s, earning small roles in TV shows like Police Woman, The Waltons and The Jeffersons.—
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There are other examples of lawmakers leaving public office for lobbying roles, but keeping their accounts open and spending from them.—
Verb
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Auditing two departments Calvo plans to establish a task force to audit Hialeah’s 911 operations, responding tor concerns from dispatchers about understaffing and slow response times.—
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Grace plans to use any earnings from Quinn’s sale to cover expenses of his upkeep, such as grain and veterinary bills.—
Noun
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Keefe, his assistant coaches and team officials could not continue to preach those objectives without holding Whitmore accountable.—
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Here again, his objectives collide.—
Noun
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Initial roles will focus on low-risk tasks such as sorting, sequencing, and transporting parts along the production line.—
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Many gamers have reacted with disgust to game studios using AI for creative tasks, like coming up with promotional artwork or generating character voices.—
Verb
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The company intends to move away from the low-volume manufacturing typical of the aviation industry.—
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OpenAI intends to build and deploy at least 10 gigawatts of AI data centers with Nvidia’s systems.—
Noun
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Trump proclaimed not only US imperial powers but also his imperialist aims.—
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The purpose of this column is to assess which of this year’s Awards Gala honorees most achieved those aims.—
Noun
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If approved, new local sales taxes in Olathe would pay back the stadium bonds instead of going toward other local government functions.—
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When deconstructed, the coat features one wool layer that serves as a jacket on its own, and another reversible layer that functions as a lightweight quilted down jacket.—
Cite this Entry
“Purposes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposes. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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