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
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(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
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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
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has been pursuingperfect progressive
Past
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pursuedsimple
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had pursuedperfect
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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:
TM could also pursue partnerships, acquisitions or new facilities to capture growing demand, she reckons.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Consumer expert Stuart Masson explained that it is worrying when multiple customers feel they have no option but to pursue disputes because they believe a dealership is failing to cooperate.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
In these specialized consulting roles, they can help train and mentor current employees while also gaining more freedom to pursue opportunities outside their previous full time positions.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
The humor comes from their passions not seeming worthy of the level of seriousness with which they pursue them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
“A full list of items will be provided to the police if you wish to pursue the matter.”
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Last week, she asked the Supreme Court to take away the parents’ right to control the medical care of the child while she pursues her request for custody in the Texas courts.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
A great deal of academic research pursues some type of truth, but not the whole truth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
The British Embassy filed court documents asking the judge to keep the Tates in custody as the UK pursues extradition.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
As the company pursues its comprehensive travel ambitions, the question remains whether the Airbnb of tomorrow can maintain character as the foundation upon which the business is built.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
“Misfortune still pursues us and this morning we lost another canoe and one of the boys was drowned. Today’s misfortune is a tragedy!”
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
The plan would reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days and pause fighting across the region while the two sides pursued broader negotiations.
From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026
In 2006, when “Malcolm in the Middle” wrapped, Muniz transitioned away from acting and pursued race car driving.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Since the Cold War, the U.S. and its rivals have largely pursued expensive, exquisite weapons systems, which proved effective in limited conflicts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Most of the legal actions have been pursued by employees of government institutions, or unionised workers, who have some free-speech protections.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
“You have an apprentice,” pursued the stranger, “commonly known as Pip? Is he here?”
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
The Met said the FCA has "disrupted" seven businesses and is "actively pursuing" another 30.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
The group pursuing McNulty was terrifying: Evenepoel, van der Poel, Seixas, del Toro, and others.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Eager to catch his biggest fish yet and keep the show highly rated, Hansen made the fatal mistake of pursuing the predator, rather than trapping him.
From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2026
Her known real estate history instead centers on the family property where she grew up and the Los Angeles rentals she has used while pursuing her acting career.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026
When Albus and I left Hogwarts we intended to take the then-traditional tour of the world together, visiting and observing foreign wizards, before pursuing our separate careers.
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.
