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• sought-after
  sought-after

  adjective

  that is in demand; desirable.
• sought after
  sought after

  Also, much sought after. Very popular, in demand, as in He was much sought after as a throat specialist, particularly by singers. This expression uses the past participle of seek in the sense of “desired” or “searched for.” [Late 1800s]

sought-after

American  

[sawt-af-ter, -ahf-] / ˈsɔtˌæf tər, -ˌɑf- /

adjective

1. that is in demand; desirable.

   a sought-after speaker.

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sought-after British  

adjective

1. in demand; wanted

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sought after Idioms  

1. Also, much sought after. Very popular, in demand, as in He was much sought after as a throat specialist, particularly by singers. This expression uses the past participle of seek in the sense of “desired” or “searched for.” [Late 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of sought-after

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

But for clubs lower down the food chain, that level of success can come at a cost; your best talent - managers included - become sought-after personnel for the more established.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

The most sought-after properties are selling unusually quickly compared with the rest of the market for this time of year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

On April 19, as search-and-rescue teams dug through the rubble for survivors, Emerson became a sought-after TV pundit.

From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026

In Hästens mattress showroom on Beverly Boulevard, he hosts a small but sought-after sound bath happening called the “Deep Reset Luxury Sound Bath Experience.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

And the Erebus and the Terror would become the most sought-after prizes in marine archaeology—a Holy Grail.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

Related Words

• attractive
• beloved
• famous
• fashionable
• favored
• prominent
• suitable
• trendy