← Back to Fala2Me

sense of purpose

[/sens əv ˈpɜrpəs/]
noun phrasepl: senses of purpose
senso de propósito
1. a feeling or understanding that one's life or actions have meaning, direction, or important goals
Finding a sense of purpose helped her overcome depression.
Encontrar um senso de propósito ajudou-a a superar a depressão.
2. the conviction that one is doing something worthwhile or meaningful
Volunteering gave him a strong sense of purpose.
O voluntariado deu-lhe um forte senso de propósito.
Synonyms
sense of directionsense of meaninglife purposeraison d'êtrecallingmission
Antonyms
aimlessnessmeaninglessnesssense of futilityemptiness

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
senso de propósito
Most common translation used in Brazil
São Paulo
sentido de propósito
Alternative, slightly more formal variant
Portugal
sentido de propósito
Preferred in European Portuguese; may also use 'razão de ser'
General
razão de ser
More philosophical/literary alternative in Portuguese

Related Idioms & Phrases

find one's purpose
have a sense of direction
give meaning to life
know what one is living for
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →