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
-
(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)
-
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
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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
-
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
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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:
According to the probate filings, he continued to pursue fees he was owed through the trust, and received money in April.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
Obada retires from NFL to pursue 'true calling'
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
In the past, it was uncommon for federal prosecutors to pursue charges against noncitizen voters who didn’t understand that it was against the law for them to vote.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
The visa revocation comes soon after senior U.S. officials described Mexico as a country controlled by drug traffickers and vowed to pursue Mexican officials who collude with the nation’s powerful cartels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
But at level ten, that began to change, because most gymnasts at that level were intending to pursue an elite career.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
As the company pursues its comprehensive travel ambitions, the question remains whether the Airbnb of tomorrow can maintain character as the foundation upon which the business is built.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
As for the great, mysterious and possibly dishonest figure Gail pursues, it’s Jon Hamm, playing himself.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
She pursues what she wants, regardless of the danger.
From Salon ● Jun. 24, 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
As we travel over District 12, I watch anxiously for signs of an attack, but nothing pursues us.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
“Any use of Mr. Daniels’ NIL occurring after LSU’s receipt of this notice will be deemed knowing and willful and will be pursued vigorously through all available legal and equitable remedies.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
No matter how many cities visited, career paths pursued, or partners endured, a person’s core traits remain the same.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
The reflecting pool is one of many renovation projects across Washington that Trump has pursued, saying he wants to improve the capital’s image.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Hichilema, a businessman who won office in 2021 on his sixth attempt, has pursued market-friendly reforms, abolished the death penalty and sought to restore investor confidence.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
“But Lyra’s father’s here, and he’s being pursued by—by his enemies, and he really needs to see Lyra before—before he goes on somewhere else. To—to say good-bye,” he added.
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
Now, however, U.S. attorneys’ offices are taking a different approach, pursuing prosecutions that could result in prison terms or deportation.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
“There is no career in a private job,” said Kumar, who is pursuing an undergraduate degree.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Convery has nicely feathered hair and a character burdened by the plot’s corniest contrivances: a bully stubbornly pursuing him to the literal end of civilization, a lost pet dog that he’s determined to rescue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Barcelona are pursuing the forward which could scupper any plans that Arsenal have.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
He sobbed in desperation and turned, but the thing pursuing him now stood in his path—a colossal being wrapped in shadows, its shape vaguely humanoid, its head almost scraping the ceiling twenty feet above.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
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.
