pursue
Americanverb (used with object)
-
pursues,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pursued,
past participle, past
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pursuing
present participle
-
to follow in order to overtake, capture, kill, etc.; chase.
-
to follow close upon; go with; attend.
Bad luck pursued him.
- Synonyms:
- dog
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to strive to gain; seek to attain or accomplish (an end, object, purpose, etc.).
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to proceed in accordance with (a method, plan, etc.).
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to carry on or continue (a course of action, a train of thought, an inquiry, studies, etc.).
-
to continue to annoy, afflict, or trouble.
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to practice (an occupation, pastime, etc.).
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to continue to discuss (a subject, topic, etc.).
-
to follow.
They pursued the river to its source. I felt their eyes pursuing me.
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to continue; go on with (one's course, a journey, etc.).
verb (used without object)
-
pursues,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pursued,
past participle, past
-
pursuing
present participle
-
to chase after someone or something; to follow in pursuit.
They spotted the suspect but decided not to pursue.
-
to continue.
verb
-
(also intr) to follow (a fugitive, etc) in order to capture or overtake
-
(esp of something bad or unlucky) to follow closely or accompany
ill health pursued her
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to seek or strive to attain (some object, desire, etc)
-
to follow the precepts of (a plan, policy, etc)
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to apply oneself to (one's studies, hobbies, etc)
-
to follow persistently or seek to become acquainted with
-
to continue to discuss or argue (a point, subject, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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pursuernoun
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outpursueverb (used with object)
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repursueverb (used with object)
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pursuableadjective
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unpursuableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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pursuesimple
-
pursuessimple
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have pursuedperfect
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has pursuedperfect
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am pursuingprogressive
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are pursuingprogressive
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is pursuingprogressive
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have been pursuingperfect progressive
-
has been pursuingperfect progressive
Past
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pursuedsimple
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had pursuedperfect
-
was pursuingprogressive
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were pursuingprogressive
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had been pursuingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of pursue
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English pursuen, from Anglo-French pursuer, ultimately from Latin prōsequī “to pursue, follow, continue”; see pro- 1, sue, prosecute
Explanation
Use the verb pursue when you're chasing after someone or something. A hungry lion might pursue a zebra, the paparazzi might pursue a celebrity, and a young dancer might pursue her dream of becoming a prima ballerina. Pursue originally meant "to follow with hostile intent," from a Latin root word, prosequi, "follow, accompany, follow after, or follow up." Today, when you pursue someone, it's not necessarily with bad intentions. A police officer, for example, might pursue a criminal, and your dog might pursue your cat around the house just for fun. If you pursue a career in journalism, you are working to achieve it. Likewise, you pursue a strategy or a hobby if you do it consistently.
Vocabulary lists containing pursue
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 6
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"Creativity at Work" and "The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind"
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"Tribute to the Dog," Vocabulary from the speech
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He left the band to pursue his solo career in 1987 and rejoined years later.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
The police watchdog has said it is investigating allegations that a Counter Terrorism Policing London staff member "failed to identify and pursue a line of inquiry" related to the attempted burglary.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Videos of an exhausted Kotak running behind security personnel as protesters pursue him spread on social media.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
On Wednesday, longtime Google executive Jeff Dean said he was departing the company to pursue his own startup.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
Their office was to pursue and punish sinners.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
She pursues what she wants, regardless of the danger.
From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2026
The letters, obtained by The Wall Street Journal through a public records request, compel companies to preserve records while the state’s Department of Justice pursues subpoenas after it reopened a probe earlier this year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026
As a first-generation Mexican American with roots in Jalisco, Mexico, she is thrilled to join The Times’ Fast Break desk starting today, as she pursues a career in television and print journalism.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026
"JNIM pursues a political-religious agenda, centred on the establishment of sharia law and the rejection of foreign forces, whilst the FLA champions a territorial and autonomist agenda, centred on Azawad," he said.
From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026
The man’s desolate voice pursues her, even as his body remains on the other side of the locked gate.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Hichilema, a businessman who won office in 2021 on his sixth attempt, has pursued market-friendly reforms, abolished the death penalty and sought to restore investor confidence.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
Berkshire’s $6.8 billion purchase of the home builder Taylor Morrison Home and its $10 billion investment in Alphabet shares during the second quarter ranked among the biggest deals the conglomerate has pursued in recent years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
On Friday Counter Terrorism Policing said a line of inquiry had been identified that was not "pursued by them at the time".
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
For years, Saudi Pro League clubs pursued Salah, while Major League Soccer was also viewed as a realistic destination for one of world football's biggest stars.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
I have to admit, I like the feeling of being pursued, even if it’s only Garrett.
From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli
Now, every hyperscaler is pursuing such projects, including Meta, Microsoft and Oracle.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
The total returns are useful for comparison, but if you are pursuing the covered-call strategy for income then you won’t be reinvesting.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
Celestial AI, founded in 2020, was pursuing a similar approach before Marvell acquired it in February for $3.25 billion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
The video shows the drone pursuing a street vendor on a city street in the Kherson region.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Harry, Ron, and Hermione, flat on its back, scraped against the ceiling as it dived toward the passage opening, while the pursuing goblins hurled daggers that glanced off its flanks.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
