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)
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to follow persistently or seek to become acquainted with
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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
-
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:
The police watchdog has said it is investigating allegations that a Counter Terrorism Policing London staff member "failed to identify and pursue a line of inquiry" related to the attempted burglary.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
In February the Turkish Foreign Minister responded with a long silence and a smile when asked on live TV if Turkey should pursue the bomb.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
"I was afraid that I would die, and I was scared that I wouldn't be able to pursue my dreams," Pawarisa Maylissa, a grade 12 student who hopes to attend medical school, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
On Wednesday, longtime Google executive Jeff Dean said he was departing the company to pursue his own startup.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
The more we pursue the matter, the more fascinating it becomes.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
As Talarico pursues potential crossover voters, he’ll also need to mobilize Black Texans, among whom Crockett is an influential leader.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
As Artie pursues a haphazard path toward better self-understanding, Ms. Strout deploys the fictional strategies that have made her novels feel as if they are about more than ordinary subjects.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
As a first-generation Mexican American with roots in Jalisco, Mexico, she is thrilled to join The Times’ Fast Break desk starting today, as she pursues a career in television and print journalism.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026
"JNIM pursues a political-religious agenda, centred on the establishment of sharia law and the rejection of foreign forces, whilst the FLA champions a territorial and autonomist agenda, centred on Azawad," he said.
From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026
As we travel over District 12, I watch anxiously for signs of an attack, but nothing pursues us.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
After graduating in 2003, Roberts pursued a Ph.D. in theoretical physics at the University of Southampton and studied dark matter at CERN, the Swiss nuclear research center.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
On Friday Counter Terrorism Policing said a line of inquiry had been identified that was not "pursued by them at the time".
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
A cohort of people who pursued and brought light to all genres of food stories.
From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026
"I hope today's outcome sends a clear message that those who seek to groom and exploit vulnerable children will be relentlessly pursued," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
“So, you haven’t dined with Mr. Jaggers yet?” he pursued, as we walked along.
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
Olmo must decide between fulfilling his duty or pursuing his age-appropriate impulse for fun.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
Now, every hyperscaler is pursuing such projects, including Meta, Microsoft and Oracle.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
If you are at an early stage of your career, focusing on long-term growth, you will probably be better off not pursuing an income strategy.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
But he wanted to play second, and the Giants—after pursuing other, longer-term options—were willing to give him that opportunity, trusting legendary infield coach Ron Washington to help Arraez improve at the position.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Rounding the corner, Percy let out a bull-like roar: “ROOKWOOD!” and sprinted off in the direction of a tall man, who was pursuing a couple of students.
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.
