pursue
verb (used with object)
to follow in order to overtake, capture, kill, etc.; chase.
had been pursuing
-
past perfect progressiveof pursue.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
Officers had been pursuing a vehicle towing a caravan, which was believed to have been stolen from the village of Oakerthorpe in Derbyshire, in the early hours of Saturday, Derbyshire Police said.
From BBC ● Feb. 15, 2026
The Coast Guard had been pursuing the vessel for two weeks on an odyssey that began near Venezuela and ended south of Iceland, U.S. officials said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
As for the skin, Del Toro envisioned a marble-statue look that he had been pursuing in earlier movies like “Cronos,” “Blade II” and “The Devil’s Backbone.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2025
He said he had been pursuing voting rights restoration for four years when the elections office decided he needs his gun rights back, too.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 5, 2024
I knew it in my heart—he had been pursuing someone.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
