sought
- simple past tense and past participle of seek.
seek
- 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.
- to make inquiry.
- be sought after, to be desired or in demand: Graduates in the physical sciences are most sought after by employers these days.
Origin of seek
Synonyms
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.comExamples from the Web for sought
Contemporary Examples
For a while yoga and pilates classes were sought out at luxury gyms like Equinox.
Their friendship began when Krauss, who was chairman of the physics department at Case Western in Cleveland, sought out Epstein.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen HawkingM.L. Nestel
January 8, 2015
Where the U.S. once sought to train several divisions worth, the latest effort is for just 3,000 troops.
Pentagon Insider on New Plan to Fight ISIS: ‘Of Course It’s Not Enough’Nancy A. Youssef
January 6, 2015
On Friday, the story had looked like it might blow over as Buckingham Palace sought to dismiss it as a “civil case.”
Two and a half millennia ago, Siddhartha Gautama sought enlightenment.
Historical Examples
I have sought for thee throughout the world, and at last I believed thee dead.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
Beyond it, I saw you standing with outstretched arms, as if you sought to come to me, but could not.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
I have sought thy daughter in marriage for Xerxes, prince of the empire.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
The true remedy is not to be sought in that direction in the one case any more than the other.
'Tis Sixty Years SinceCharles Francis Adams
He could not even tell her that it was at Hope's command he sought her.
MalboneThomas Wentworth Higginson
sought
- the past tense and past participle of seek
seek
- (when intr, often foll by for or after) to try to find by searching; look forto seek a solution
- (also intr) to try to obtain or acquireto seek happiness
- to attempt (to do something); tryI'm only seeking to help
- (also intr) to enquire about or request (something)to seek help
- to go or resort toto seek the garden for peace
- an archaic word for explore
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for sought
past tense and past participle of seek, from Old English sohte. Sought-after is from 1881 (sought-for in same sense is from c.1600).
seek
v.
Old English secan "inquire, search for; pursue; long for, wish for, desire; look for, expect from," influenced by Old Norse soekja, both from Proto-Germanic *sokjan (cf. Old Saxon sokian, Old Frisian seka, Middle Dutch soekan, Old High German suohhan, German suchen, Gothic sokjan), from PIE *sag-yo-, from root *sag- "to track down, seek out" (cf. Latin sagire "to perceive quickly or keenly," sagus "presaging, predicting," Old Irish saigim "seek"). The natural modern form of the Anglo-Saxon word as uninfluenced by Norse is in beseech. Related: Sought; seeking.
Idioms and Phrases with sought
seek
see play hide and seek.