Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

on purpose

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.88 in modern English

Syllables: on pur-pose
IPA

13

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

prep_phrase

By design, as opposed to by accident; intentionally; deliberately.

prep_phrase

In order to (do something); with the objective that.

Archaic

Example Sentences

"That wasn't an accident! You did it on purpose!"
"Blifil bowed and stammered, and looked like a fool; but Western, without giving him time to form a speech for the purpose, answered, “Well, well, I am to blame, if you will, I always am, certainly; but come, let the girl be fetched back again, or let Mr Blifil go to her.——He’s come up on purpose, and there is no time to be lost.”"
"I send this to the town, on purpose to have it reach you by the earliest post […]."

Usage

Archaic

Phrases

accidentally on purpose malice aforethought

Frequently Paired Words

malice aforethought purposefully

Synonyms

deliberately intentionally purposefully willfully designedly purposely advisedly by choice by design

Antonyms

by accident on accident

Questions

What does on purpose mean?: By design, as opposed to by accident; intentionally; deliberately.

How to pronounce on purpose

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “on purpose”.
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