pursuit
Americannoun
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the act of pursuing.
in pursuit of the fox.
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an effort to secure or attain; quest.
the pursuit of happiness.
- Synonyms:
- search
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any occupation, pastime, or the like, in which a person is engaged regularly or customarily.
literary pursuits.
- Synonyms:
- inclination, preoccupation, activity
noun
-
-
the act of pursuing, chasing, or striving after
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( as modifier )
a pursuit plane
-
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an occupation, hobby, or pastime
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(in cycling) a race in which the riders set off at intervals along the track and attempt to overtake each other
Etymology
Origin of pursuit
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French purseute, from Vulgar Latin prōsequita (unrecorded), from Latin prōsecūta, feminine of prōsecūtus “followed,” past participle of prōsequī “to follow, continue”; see pursue
Explanation
A pursuit is a chase or a quest for something. When a guard runs after an escaping jewel thief, she's in pursuit — while the thief may have stolen the jewels because he was in pursuit of wealth. Whether it's a police officer in a car chase or a student working towards a college degree at a university in the tropics, both can be considered in “hot pursuit.” Derived from the Anglo-French purseute, pursuit means the act of pursuing or striving towards goals. In the late 14th century it implied persecution, but things have changed since then.
Vocabulary lists containing pursuit
"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
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"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from Act 1
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Latin Love, Vol III: seguire
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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.
The pursuit had begun in South Los Angeles and ended near Marietta and Garnet streets at about 2:15 p.m.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
All had moved elsewhere in pursuit of jobs, and all had come back to work for Meta long-term.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
The visitors closed the second day on 36-3 in pursuit of 254, leaving Ben Stokes' side seven wickets from victory.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
In the same way that food media has pivoted toward a pursuit of the best, so has the word foodie itself.
From Salon • Jun. 3, 2026
We took turns, one holding the bag while the other dodged about the furniture and up the stairs in pursuit.
From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson
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.
