purposive Meaning & Definition
What Does Purposive Mean?
As an adjective, purposive means serving or effecting a useful function though not as a result of planning or design. It can also mean having or tending to fulfill a conscious purpose or design.
Quick Facts About Purposive
| Part of speech | adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈpər-pə-siv/ |
| Syllables | 3 |
| Synonyms | purposeful, goal-directed and nonrandom |
| Antonyms | nondeliberate, nonpurposive and unintentional |
| Comparative / superlative | more purposive, most purposive |
| Adverb | purposively |
| First known use | 1849 |
Purposive Definition (Adjective)
- serving or effecting a useful function though not as a result of planning or design
- having or tending to fulfill a conscious purpose or design : purposeful
Synonyms of Purposive
Antonyms of Purposive
Purposive in a Sentence
Most human activity is purposive.
I had a purposive air about me that night.
facial tics and other unconscious movements that one would not normally call purposive actions
Word Forms & Grammar
pur·po·sive·ly adverb
pur·po·sive·ness noun
purposive
purposively
purposiveness
purposivenesses
purposive (comparative more purposive, superlative most purposive)
purposive (uncountable)
Words That Rhyme With Purposive
Origin of Purposive
From purpose + -ive. Compare purpositive.
First Known Use
1849
Pronouncing Purposive
You say purposive as /ˈpər-pə-siv/. It has 3 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (pər).
Questions People Ask About Purposive
What part of speech is purposive?
Purposive is an adjective.
What is another word for purposive?
Close synonyms of purposive are purposeful, goal-directed and nonrandom. See the full list of purposive synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of purposive?
Words opposite in meaning to purposive are nondeliberate, nonpurposive, unintentional and inadvertent.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of purposive?
The comparative form is more purposive and the superlative form is most purposive.