pursue
Americanverb (used with object)
-
pursues,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pursued,
past participle, past
-
pursuing
present participle
-
to follow in order to overtake, capture, kill, etc.; chase.
-
to follow close upon; go with; attend.
Bad luck pursued him.
- Synonyms:
- dog
-
to strive to gain; seek to attain or accomplish (an end, object, purpose, etc.).
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to proceed in accordance with (a method, plan, etc.).
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to carry on or continue (a course of action, a train of thought, an inquiry, studies, etc.).
-
to continue to annoy, afflict, or trouble.
-
to practice (an occupation, pastime, etc.).
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to continue to discuss (a subject, topic, etc.).
-
to follow.
They pursued the river to its source. I felt their eyes pursuing me.
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to continue; go on with (one's course, a journey, etc.).
verb (used without object)
-
pursues,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pursued,
past participle, past
-
pursuing
present participle
-
to chase after someone or something; to follow in pursuit.
They spotted the suspect but decided not to pursue.
-
to continue.
verb
-
(also intr) to follow (a fugitive, etc) in order to capture or overtake
-
(esp of something bad or unlucky) to follow closely or accompany
ill health pursued her
-
to seek or strive to attain (some object, desire, etc)
-
to follow the precepts of (a plan, policy, etc)
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to apply oneself to (one's studies, hobbies, etc)
-
to follow persistently or seek to become acquainted with
-
to continue to discuss or argue (a point, subject, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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pursuernoun
-
outpursueverb (used with object)
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repursueverb (used with object)
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pursuableadjective
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unpursuableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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pursuesimple
-
pursuessimple
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have pursuedperfect
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has pursuedperfect
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am pursuingprogressive
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are pursuingprogressive
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is pursuingprogressive
-
have been pursuingperfect progressive
-
has been pursuingperfect progressive
Past
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pursuedsimple
-
had pursuedperfect
-
was pursuingprogressive
-
were pursuingprogressive
-
had been pursuingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of pursue
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English pursuen, from Anglo-French pursuer, ultimately from Latin prōsequī “to pursue, follow, continue”; see pro- 1, sue, prosecute
Explanation
Use the verb pursue when you're chasing after someone or something. A hungry lion might pursue a zebra, the paparazzi might pursue a celebrity, and a young dancer might pursue her dream of becoming a prima ballerina. Pursue originally meant "to follow with hostile intent," from a Latin root word, prosequi, "follow, accompany, follow after, or follow up." Today, when you pursue someone, it's not necessarily with bad intentions. A police officer, for example, might pursue a criminal, and your dog might pursue your cat around the house just for fun. If you pursue a career in journalism, you are working to achieve it. Likewise, you pursue a strategy or a hobby if you do it consistently.
Vocabulary lists containing pursue
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 6
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"Creativity at Work" and "The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind"
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"Tribute to the Dog," Vocabulary from the speech
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“It is important not to pursue low-margin growth alone,” said He, whose company fell deeper into the red this year after sales in China fell by double digits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
If you pursue this, you will once again have obliged.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
Federal prosecutors are using civil rights law to pursue an inquiry into his conduct as a member of Congress.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
While she refused to elaborate on whether the UK government and royals should pursue slavery reparations, she said the issue would be on the table in St John's.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
Then Pike slipped away to pursue his investigation.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
Nvidia-backed data center operator Nscale has faced backlash over loft valuations as it pursues a public listing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
Now, the Professor Molchanov is in a watery limbo, rusting in the Barentsburg port as Russia pursues an appeal at The Hague.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
Both unions stated that if the council pursues the fire and rehire policy then the two unions will "immediately enter into dispute to secure the improved package and halt fire and rehire".
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
Last week, she asked the Supreme Court to take away the parents’ right to control the medical care of the child while she pursues her request for custody in the Texas courts.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
He pursues speed with superlative courage, pushing beyond defeat, beyond exhaustion, sometimes beyond the structural limits of bone and sinew.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Some evidence points to an animal that frequently submerged itself and pursued prey underwater, much like seals or penguins.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026
"A dialogue may be pursued with the understanding of Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping," said Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
Authorities insist they have pursued a range of measures to try to extinguish the flames and, in turn, the smoke – from aerial waterbombing to experimental weather modification.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
He lost a bid for San Diego mayor in 2012, and two tries for Congress, and also twice pursued a voter ID ballot measure before aborting the efforts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026
She was hotly pursued and by one stronger if not swifter than she.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
But she insisted the plaintiffs were pursuing a legal question.
From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026
Later, during my brief stint in seminary — I dropped out to head to a liberal arts college after a semester — women sometimes joked about pursuing their “MRS. degrees.”
From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026
From his perspective, the merger would roll up his business interests into a tidy ball—something he has been pursuing for decades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
The mustachioed star of several 20th century hit films was born on 25 August 1933 in Detroit, Michigan, and served in the US Air Force before pursuing an acting career that boasted several military roles.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
Flames of abnormal size were pursuing them, licking up the sides of the junk bulwarks, which were crumbling to soot at their touch.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
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