PURPOSES Synonyms: 97 Similar and Opposite Words

purposes 1 of 2

noun

plural of purpose

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

purposes

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of purpose

as in plans

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 purposes

Noun

But by funding facilities and administrative costs normally borne by the schools, states are freeing universities to use their own dollars for other purposes. — David A. Lieb, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026 The number of satellites in orbit now is around 18,000, but it’s expected to reach 100,000 in 2030, driven sharply by the growth of LEO networks for communications and other purposes. — IEEE Spectrum, 20 Aug. 2026 Universities such as Harvard and MIT, along with tech companies like Amazon and Nvidia, purchased such robots made in China through RoboStore for their own research and development purposes. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026 The source said Swalwell was held on Saturday at SFO and released the same day he was detained for search purposes. — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 If approved, the legislation would extend exemptions to class cars built between 1976 and 1985 that are used primarily for exhibition purposes and have limited use on public roadways. — Darrielle Fair, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 Warner said Idaho Public Archaeology, which has had around 400 volunteers and 5,000 visitors to various projects over the years, serves multiple purposes. — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 13 Aug. 2026 The Washington Post reported earlier this month finding nearly 50 instances of police officers charged or accused of using the cameras for unauthorized purposes, many for tracking current or former romantic partners or family members. — Sarah Rankin, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 Under Connecticut’s Juvenile Matters Act, 16- and 17-year-olds generally fall within juvenile jurisdiction because they are recognized, and treated, as children for delinquency purposes. — Keith Wortz, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for purposes

Noun

The Moon enters Sagittarius and your 11th House of Friends, Groups, and Future Plans, making teamwork, invitations, and shared goals more active.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026
The 30-year-old surrendered 12 goals in his first four outings.

— CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of goals

Noun

Key creative roles include Belgian cinematographer Virginie Surdej (Calle Malaga), Estonian production designer Tiiu-Ann Pello (Tenet) as well as Belgian editor Yannick Leroy (Austral).

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026
No plans have been announced for Harry and Meghan to resume their senior royal roles.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of roles

Verb

Buffalo Grove, which also uses joint purchasing through Lake County, plans to purchase salt from other sources to cover its need.

— Steve Zalusky, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2026
App updates can’t erase the underlying challenges presented by rising digital competition for both rights and eyeballs, but ESPN’s platform evolution says plenty about how the company plans to win future fan attention.

— Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of plans

Noun

Humanoid robots can now, for example, sort parcels in postal centers, although still on a small-scale basis, and are pushing the boundaries in performing more human tasks such as directing traffic and making coffee.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Mail and Paper Piles Leaving mail and stacks of paper on coffee tables, console tables, and end tables is distracting and causes a conflict between relaxation and productive tasks, which Lee notes are two things that don't go together.

— Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of tasks

Verb

Having entertained offers from Football Bowl Subdivision programs, Zion-Benton senior running back Jamere French intends to be a dominant force this season.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
The organization also intends to make its biogenic methodology freely available.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of intends

Noun

Moving away from a retrospective punishment mechanism appealed to Portsmouth too, as did the shift to a focus on liquidity, something which meshes with the aims of the independent football regulator, which recently came into operation in England.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Vance’s comments also seemed to suggest that the administration was more acutely focused on the economic impact of the war than the original aims of the war itself.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of aims

Noun

Forty-eight business entities were named in the sanctions, with more than 20 of them related to shipping, logistics or maritime functions.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026
Beyond the main house, Castleton functions on an almost village-like scale, with nine additional residences, 16 barns containing 268 stalls, and an extensive network of paddocks, breeding and training facilities.

— Mark David, Robb Report, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of functions

Browse Nearby Words

purposely

purposes

purposing

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Purposes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purposes. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of purposes

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

cogent

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes