sought

[sawt]

See more synonyms for sought on Thesaurus.com

verb

simple past tense and past participle of seek.

Related formsself-sought, adjectiveun·sought, adjective

seek

[seek]

verb (used with object), sought, seek·ing.

to go in search or quest of: to seek the truth.
to try to find or discover by searching or questioning: to seek the solution to a problem.
to try to obtain: to seek fame.
to try or attempt (usually followed by an infinitive): to seek to convince a person.
to go to: to seek a place to rest.
to ask for; request: to seek advice.
Archaic. to search or explore.

verb (used without object), sought, seek·ing.

to make inquiry.

Idioms

be sought after, to be desired or in demand: Graduates in the physical sciences are most sought after by employers these days.

Origin of seek

before 900; Middle English seken, Old English sēcan; cognate with German suchen, Old Norse sœkja, Gothic sōkjan; akin to Latin sāgīre to perceive by scent (see presage, sagacity); cf. beseech

Related formsout·seek, verb (used with object), out·sought, out·seek·ing.re·seek, verb (used with object), re·sought, re·seek·ing.un·seek·ing, adjective

Synonyms

See more synonyms for seek on Thesaurus.com

3. pursue, follow.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for sought

Contemporary Examples

For a while yoga and pilates classes were sought out at luxury gyms like Equinox.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze
Lizzie Crocker
January 9, 2015
Their friendship began when Krauss, who was chairman of the physics department at Case Western in Cleveland, sought out Epstein.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen Hawking
M.L. Nestel
January 8, 2015
Where the U.S. once sought to train several divisions worth, the latest effort is for just 3,000 troops.
Pentagon Insider on New Plan to Fight ISIS: ‘Of Course It’s Not Enough’
Nancy A. Youssef
January 6, 2015
On Friday, the story had looked like it might blow over as Buckingham Palace sought to dismiss it as a “civil case.”
Buckingham Palace Disputes Sex Allegations Against Prince ‘Randy Andy’
Tom Sykes
January 4, 2015
Two and a half millennia ago, Siddhartha Gautama sought enlightenment.
The Buddhist Business of Poaching Animals for Good Karma
Brendon Hong
December 28, 2014

Historical Examples

I have sought for thee throughout the world, and at last I believed thee dead.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
Beyond it, I saw you standing with outstretched arms, as if you sought to come to me, but could not.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
I have sought thy daughter in marriage for Xerxes, prince of the empire.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
The true remedy is not to be sought in that direction in the one case any more than the other.
'Tis Sixty Years Since
Charles Francis Adams
He could not even tell her that it was at Hope's command he sought her.
Malbone
Thomas Wentworth Higginson

British Dictionary definitions for sought

sought

verb

the past tense and past participle of seek

seek

verb seeks, seeking or sought (mainly tr)

(when intr, often foll by for or after) to try to find by searching; look forto seek a solution
(also intr) to try to obtain or acquireto seek happiness
to attempt (to do something); tryI'm only seeking to help
(also intr) to enquire about or request (something)to seek help
to go or resort toto seek the garden for peace
an archaic word for explore

Derived Formsseeker, noun

Word Origin

Old English sēcan; related to Old Norse sōkja, Gothic sōkjan, Old High German suohhen, Latin sāgīre to perceive by scent; see beseech

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for sought

past tense and past participle of seek, from Old English sohte. Sought-after is from 1881 (sought-for in same sense is from c.1600).

seek

v.

Old English secan "inquire, search for; pursue; long for, wish for, desire; look for, expect from," influenced by Old Norse soekja, both from Proto-Germanic *sokjan (cf. Old Saxon sokian, Old Frisian seka, Middle Dutch soekan, Old High German suohhan, German suchen, Gothic sokjan), from PIE *sag-yo-, from root *sag- "to track down, seek out" (cf. Latin sagire "to perceive quickly or keenly," sagus "presaging, predicting," Old Irish saigim "seek"). The natural modern form of the Anglo-Saxon word as uninfluenced by Norse is in beseech. Related: Sought; seeking.

Idioms and Phrases with sought

seek

see play hide and seek.

sought

seek

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Synonyms

Examples from the Web for sought

Contemporary Examples

For a while yoga and pilates classes were sought out at luxury gyms like Equinox.

Their friendship began when Krauss, who was chairman of the physics department at Case Western in Cleveland, sought out Epstein.

Where the U.S. once sought to train several divisions worth, the latest effort is for just 3,000 troops.

On Friday, the story had looked like it might blow over as Buckingham Palace sought to dismiss it as a “civil case.”

Two and a half millennia ago, Siddhartha Gautama sought enlightenment.

Historical Examples

I have sought for thee throughout the world, and at last I believed thee dead.

Beyond it, I saw you standing with outstretched arms, as if you sought to come to me, but could not.

I have sought thy daughter in marriage for Xerxes, prince of the empire.

The true remedy is not to be sought in that direction in the one case any more than the other.

He could not even tell her that it was at Hope's command he sought her.

sought

seek

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for sought

seek

v.

Idioms and Phrases with sought

seek

Origin of seek