pursued

American  

[per-sood] / pərˈsud /

adjective

1. followed by a person or animal wishing to overtake, capture, kill, etc.; chased.

   Dogs' keen sense of smell and hunting instinct make it difficult for a pursued animal to escape.

2. being the goal or purpose that motivates a person’s striving or effort.

   Every phrase in the document has been carefully weighed to serve the pursued objective.

3. carried on or continued.

   Going from one university to another for short stays might be less beneficial than a steadily pursued course at one place.

4. practiced, as an occupation, pastime, etc..

   Whether as a hobby or as a career, music and dance have always been among the most highly pursued performing arts.

5. studied or discussed over some time.

   This publication focuses on the long pursued question of best timing for orthodontic treatment.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of pursue.

Other Word Forms

• unpursued adjective

Etymology

Origin of pursued

pursue ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Bombardier’s pivot to defense began in earnest in 2022, when Martel, who pursued a career in electrical engineering after poor vision disqualified him from flying planes, launched the company’s defense division.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

The response is instructive for what it pursued and what it avoided.

From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026

But numerous states pursued the case, and they could still ask for the company to divest Ticketmaster.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

Arnold Clark, which has its headquarters in Glasgow, had argued that any legal action should be stopped because a similar case is already being pursued in England.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

We were spotted then; there were shouts and calls, and we retreated down toward the shore, pursued.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• followed