Showing results for "pursuing"

• present participle of pursue.

pursuing

American  

[per-soo-ing] / pərˈsu ɪŋ /

adjective

1. following someone or something in order to overtake, capture, woo, etc..

   Informed via radio that the alleged crime concerned an unpaid bill, the pursuing officers took down the vehicle's license plate information and stopped the chase.

2. continuing to accompany or affect someone, as success, bad luck, or fame.

   They renewed their love, were once more torn apart by pursuing misfortune, but in the end were happily reunited.

3. following or seeming to follow someone or something with one’s eyes, voice, thoughts, etc..

   He stared fearfully at the pursuing eyes of a portrait on the wall.

4. following or coming immediately after; ensuing.

   The program focuses on core courses in the first semester, and allows students to take their electives in the pursuing two semesters.

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Other Word Forms

• unpursuing
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of pursuing

pursu(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Explanation

When someone is described as pursuing, they are following or chasing another person (or thing) with the intent to catch. The pursuing player in a game of "tag" is "it," or the one doing the chasing. During a traditional English fox hunt, the barking dogs are the pursing animals, and the foxes are the ones being hunted. And during a typical cops-and-robbers chase, the pursuing officers are the ones in the police car with the siren blaring, racing after the getaway car. Pursuing and its related verb pursue come from the Latin prosequi, "follow or follow after."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pursuing

"The Australian Government is deeply frustrated and bitterly disappointed that authorities in Laos are not pursuing the most serious charges," Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

But they’re pursuing this strategy in a global political environment much less receptive to Chinese products than at any time in recent decades.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

It’s reportedly pursuing technology for aerospace activities; Bezos’ Blue Origin is also raising outside cash to fund its own space business.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

The suspect was identified as Ziheng “Tony” Fang, 30, of San José, a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in data science.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

He traipsed in heavily, as if his boundless stamina for pursuing justice had been exhausted.

From "The Rock and the River" by Kekla Magoon