pursuit

American  

[per-soot] / pərˈsut /

noun

• pursuits
  plural

1. the act of pursuing.

   in pursuit of the fox.

   Synonyms:

   hunt, chase

2. an effort to secure or attain; quest.

   the pursuit of happiness.

   Synonyms:

   search

3. any occupation, pastime, or the like, in which a person is engaged regularly or customarily.

   literary pursuits.

   Synonyms:

   inclination, preoccupation, activity

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pursuit British  

/ pəˈsjuːt /

noun

1. 1. the act of pursuing, chasing, or striving after

   2. ( as modifier )

      a pursuit plane

2. an occupation, hobby, or pastime

3. (in cycling) a race in which the riders set off at intervals along the track and attempt to overtake each other

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pursuits
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pursuit pursuits

Her daughter has obviously inherited Heder’s deep well of empathy, one that is more concerned with bringing new, unseen stories to the screen than with the pursuit of cool points or pure fame.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

On a street in Ivory Coast's economic capital, Abidjan, municipal officers were in pursuit of informal vendors who had set up their stalls on the pavements and, in some cases, the roads.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

Under the "ghosts of predators past" hypothesis, pronghorns became exceptionally fast because they evolved alongside a cheetah-like predator capable of high-speed pursuit.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 8, 2026

Swinney had called Kiffin’s pursuit of NFL players “embarrassing” just days before the game—then Swinney’s team lost by more than five touchdowns.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

The reality of keeping Black men, women, and children enslaved was unjust, a violation of human rights, and contrary to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” the founding ideals of the United States.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

For all his disparate pursuits, Elsesser revels in the small details, incapable of giving anything less than total dedication.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

While on tour this summer, he has been successful in more analogue pursuits.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Professional success no longer equates to upward mobility for many workers, especially when it shifts focus away from their families and personal pursuits like travel, continuing education and wellness.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

In a cutthroat white-collar talent market, lawyers and bankers are listing quirky side pursuits like “building birdhouses” and “hot-dog eating.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

Clerval had never sympathised in my tastes for natural science; and his literary pursuits differed wholly from those which had occupied me.

From "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

Related Words

• accomplishment
• activity
• career
• occupation
• undertaking