pursue
Americanverb (used with object)
-
pursues,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pursued,
past participle, past
-
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
-
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.).
-
to carry on or continue (a course of action, a train of thought, an inquiry, studies, etc.).
-
to continue to annoy, afflict, or trouble.
-
to practice (an occupation, pastime, etc.).
-
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
-
to seek or strive to attain (some object, desire, etc)
-
to follow the precepts of (a plan, policy, etc)
-
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
-
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
-
have pursuedperfect
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has pursuedperfect
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am pursuingprogressive
-
are pursuingprogressive
-
is pursuingprogressive
-
have been pursuingperfect progressive
-
has been pursuingperfect progressive
Past
-
pursuedsimple
-
had pursuedperfect
-
was pursuingprogressive
-
were pursuingprogressive
-
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:
"You can pursue these projects that just are a slow burn and then have -- hopefully -- a big return when they get over the finish line."
From Science Daily ● Nov. 15, 2026
“If you are looking for a change, find how AI fits into whatever you want to be working on, and pursue that,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
Post-”DWTS,” Leavitt went on to pursue opportunities on Broadway, while Affleck decided to move to Orange County and, as she tells it, combine the two friend groups for this new series.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2026
One way to figure out if it’s worth taking on more debt is to research the firms that do the work you want to pursue.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 12, 2026
Continuing then to pursue his walk in silence, I ventured to recall him to the point whence he had abruptly diverged—
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
But Herrera pursues outrage like it’s his calling.
From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2026
Shares are approaching their 52-week high as CEO Josh D’Amaro pursues growth.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
Ocker’s “Chasing the Headless Horseman” pursues the origins and cultural legacy of a frightening figure who has a genesis closer to home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
Nvidia-backed data center operator Nscale has faced backlash over loft valuations as it pursues a public listing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
“No, no! The lord of the great horns pursues wise, miserable Gurgi with leaping and galloping. Gurgi fears terrible smackings and whackings. He follows kindly and mighty protectors. Faithful Gurgi will not leave them, never!”
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
While the state pursued kidnapping and contempt charges, the Greens’ attorneys said they had no idea where they’d gone.
From Slate ● Nov. 12, 2026
Hall later lived in Chicago, where she cared for her parents and pursued an award-winning theater career.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2026
The actress later pursued allegations of retaliation against Justin, as well as his production company and publicity team.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 10, 2026
Beauden Barrett's surge downfield, hotly pursued by Matt Fagerson, was the catalyst for their second score.
From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026
Tears began to blind her, but she kept running, unsure whether she was being pursued.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
Partners at venture-capital firms such as Andreessen Horowitz and Founders Fund have long argued that the best founders are strong personalities pursuing radical, non-consensus ideas and need protection to deliver them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2026
“I started to wonder — is the music coming from a sympathetic place toward the characters, or is it coming from the antagonism of the evil that’s pursuing them?’
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026
Would it be worth pursuing a professional degree that would require a massive amount of student loans?
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 13, 2026
Tigani said that developers had plans approved for a three-story building at the site and were pursuing permission for a nine-story building.
From Barron's ● Nov. 12, 2026
It was not only the German army and air force pursuing him now.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
