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

India went on to lose the final to England that year but women's cricket no longer remained a passing pursuit for the average Indian fan.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Her leadership was marked by an aggressive pursuit of victory.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

Not just for Gen Z anymore: The shapewear brand Shapermint is using TikTok Shop in its pursuit of women aged 35 to 65; more than half of its top-performing affiliate creators are over 35.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

They also targeted so-called vulture funds -- investment firms that buy properties at low prices in pursuit of higher returns.

From Barron's ● Oct. 3, 2026

Clearly, he did not consider the Cherokee to have those rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness on their own homelands.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Filmmakers Jack Auen and Kevin Walker — who operate under the name Cosmic Salon — make movies in the belief that intellectual pursuits can be both exciting and cinematic.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

And though Cassie’s extracurricular pursuits echo that cultural reckoning, some distance reveals that “Promising Young Woman” is less about justice than protection.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

A number of forces have successfully used drones to track illegal e-bike riders rather than engaging in risky pursuits.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 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

Rather, he had them, but they were in a perpetual state of regrowing from being burned off in the course of his alchemical pursuits.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Related Words

• accomplishment
• activity
• career
• occupation
• undertaking