pursue

American  

[per-soo] / pərˈsu /

verb (used with object)

pursued, pursuing

1. to follow in order to overtake, capture, kill, etc.; chase.

   Synonyms:

   trail, track, hunt

2. to follow close upon; go with; attend.

   Bad luck pursued him.

   Synonyms:

   dog

3. to strive to gain; seek to attain or accomplish (an end, object, purpose, etc.).

4. to proceed in accordance with (a method, plan, etc.).

5. to carry on or continue (a course of action, a train of thought, an inquiry, studies, etc.).

6. to continue to annoy, afflict, or trouble.

7. to practice (an occupation, pastime, etc.).

8. to continue to discuss (a subject, topic, etc.).

9. to follow.

   They pursued the river to its source. I felt their eyes pursuing me.

10. to continue; go on with (one's course, a journey, etc.).

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verb (used without object)

pursued, pursuing

1. to chase after someone or something; to follow in pursuit.

   They spotted the suspect but decided not to pursue.

2. to continue.

pursue British  

/ pəˈsjuː /

verb

1. (also intr) to follow (a fugitive, etc) in order to capture or overtake

2. (esp of something bad or unlucky) to follow closely or accompany

   ill health pursued her

3. to seek or strive to attain (some object, desire, etc)

4. to follow the precepts of (a plan, policy, etc)

5. to apply oneself to (one's studies, hobbies, etc)

6. to follow persistently or seek to become acquainted with

7. to continue to discuss or argue (a point, subject, etc)

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Other Word Forms

• outpursue
  verb (used with object)
• pursuable
  adjective
• pursuer
  noun
• repursue
  verb (used with object)
• unpursuable
  adjective

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.

Example Sentences

China’s commerce ministry said in a Saturday statement that Beijing and Washington agreed to pursue mutual tariff reductions in future discussions, though it didn’t specify which products could receive relief.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

After disagreements about how to pursue that goal, Musk resigned in early 2018.

From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026

Private charter jet companies hawk World Cup packages online to fly fans all over the continent, but most won’t be able to pursue this kind of travel.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

As a result, many grads took out mortgage-sized debts to pursue pricy degrees, many of which don’t pay off in future income.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

Ann Atwater gladly moved over to the new organization, free to pursue her goals.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Related Words

• conduct
• continue
• engage in
• maintain
• practice
• proceed
• prosecute
• tackle