Purposive

Quick meaning: Purposive is an adjective meaning Serving a particular purpose; useful; adapted to a given purpose, especially through natural evolution.

Meaning

Serving a particular purpose; useful; adapted to a given purpose, especially through natural evolution.

More Meanings

1. Done or performed with a conscious purpose or intent.
2. (psychology) Pertaining to purpose, as reflected in behaviour or mental activity.
3. Pertaining to or demonstrating purpose.
4. Possessed of a firm purpose.
5. (grammar) Of a clause or conjunction: expressing purpose.
6. (grammar) A mood indicating a purpose of the course of activity expressed by the verb.

Example Sentences

The world was generally agreed to be a purposive one, responsive to the wishes of its Creator […].

Ursula could not believe the air in her nostrils. It seemed conscious, malevolent, purposive in its intense murderous coldness.

The question at once arises whether medieval thinkers really believed that what we now call inanimate objects were sentient and purposive.

Other ecclesiastics [...] were similarly accepting of a space for purposive and beneficent human action and betterment in a disenchanted world.

Synonyms for purposive

Depending on context, synonyms include deliberate, intentional, purposeful, conscious, witting, volitational.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include purposeful, goal-directed, nonrandom, intentional, wilful, deliberate.

Related Dictionary Tools