seek
Americanverb (used with object)
-
seeks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sought,
past participle, past
-
seeking
present participle
-
to go in search or quest of.
to seek the truth.
-
to try to find or discover by searching or questioning.
to seek the solution to a problem.
-
to try to obtain.
to seek fame.
-
to try or attempt (usually followed by an infinitive).
to seek to convince a person.
-
to go to.
to seek a place to rest.
-
to ask for; request.
to seek advice.
-
Archaic. to search or explore.
verb (used without object)
-
seeks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sought,
past participle, past
-
seeking
present participle
idioms
verb
-
to try to find by searching; look for
to seek a solution
-
(also intr) to try to obtain or acquire
to seek happiness
-
to attempt (to do something); try
I'm only seeking to help
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(also intr) to enquire about or request (something)
to seek help
-
to go or resort to
to seek the garden for peace
-
an archaic word for explore
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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seeksimple
-
seekssimple
-
have soughtperfect
-
has soughtperfect
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am seekingprogressive
-
are seekingprogressive
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is seekingprogressive
-
have been seekingperfect progressive
-
has been seekingperfect progressive
Past
-
soughtsimple
-
had soughtperfect
-
was seekingprogressive
-
were seekingprogressive
-
had been seekingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of seek
First recorded before 900; Middle English seken, Old English sēcan; cognate with German suchen, Old Norse sœkja, Gothic sōkjan; akin to Latin sāgīre “to perceive by scent” ( see presage, sagacity); cf. beseech
Explanation
If you seek an accordion player for your new polka band, it means you are looking for a band mate. When you seek something, you try to find it. It's possible to seek fame, or snacks, or a college degree, or approval — as long as you're looking for it, or longing for it, you're seeking it. The origins of the word seek go back to the Latin word sagire, which means "to perceive keenly by scent." Imagine a dog tracking a rabbit, sniffing the ground and following its scent, and you'll know exactly what it means to seek something.
Vocabulary lists containing seek
"Earthquake"
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Word Generation Social Studies - Experiences of Two Children in Warn-torn Sudan
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"Brother Ray" and "Power of the Powerless"
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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:
Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh’s speech at the Jackson Hole symposium will be the key event for investors as they continue to seek clarity on whether and when U.S. interest rates might rise.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
As the hyperscalers continue to seek funding for their vast AI ambitions and increasingly tap debt markets, investors may turn to hard assets as a hedge, including bitcoin, said Chhugani and his team.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
After games, watch out for the players craving french fries at Newbury Park and knowing someone to seek out who can help.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Another of Forlini's lawyers, Nicolas D'Albora however denied any plans to seek a mistrial.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
“And what does a person with such a romantic temperament seek in the study of the classics?”
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
The lawsuit seeks emergency relief to stop the agency’s early renewal proceeding and any resulting threat against ABC’s station licenses.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
Although it's not the first lawsuit that seeks to hold a social media company accountable for mental health and safety issues, it could become one of the most consequential.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
The complaint also seeks to invalidate the policy and have books returned to shelves.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Barack Obama seeks formal legal guidance when he’s trying to decide whether he can accept the cash prize that comes along with his Nobel Peace Prize.
From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2026
Of course, one seeks to provide a general, sustained service to one's employer, the value of which could never be reduced to a number of specific instances - such as that concerning Lord Halifax.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
"They were so sought after, they were names that would hit the press and command attention right away," says Stacy Jones, chief executive of Hollywood Branded, a marketing and PR agency.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Sheinbaum has sought to avoid confrontation with Trump while also positing herself as a defender of Mexican sovereignty.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
He devoted nearly a fifth of his magnum opus to attacking the established quack system of mercantilism, which sought to maximize exports and minimize imports for the empty prize of a positive balance of trade.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
My own classic-rock-loving father ended up with copies of Whitney Houston and Alanis Morissette albums that he, left to his own devices, wouldn’t have sought out.
From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026
He still spent most of his time in Haiti, but as an attending specialist on the Brigham’s senior staff, he was sought after frequently for his diagnoses of ID—infectious diseases.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Last month, the agency posted a solicitation with draft contract terms seeking 5,500 detention beds in Colorado, Florida, Pennsylvania and Washington.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
Venezuela’s Information Ministry didn’t respond to calls and emails seeking comment about Pacific Coast and the Cisneros allegations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
The clearest example: In July, New York Attorney General Letitia James sued Kalshi, calling prediction markets “gambling platforms, plain and simple” and seeking penalties that could reach $36 billion.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
Over the years, Narwat has petitioned chief minister, MPs and district officials, and written to the National Human Rights Commission, seeking improvements to the two Khedi Kalan schools.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
Her assignment: to play a princess, Micomicona, who had come all the way from Africa, seeking Don Quixote's help.
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
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.
