pursue
Americanverb (used with object)
-
pursues,
present (3rd person singular)
-
pursued,
past participle, past
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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
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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.
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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
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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:
The entrepreneurs are worried about episodes when rogue AI agents have broken free of their human instructions to pursue their own ends.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
The ministry also stressed the importance of ties with Madrid, saying Morocco had chosen to pursue relations based on "good neighbourliness, political understanding, economic partnership, and security cooperation".
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
Early encounters with Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” and Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America” inspired him to pursue his economically precarious calling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Given the complexity and time-consuming nature of appeals, very few pursue it.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
Continuing then to pursue his walk in silence, I ventured to recall him to the point whence he had abruptly diverged—
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
The newly-listed SpaceX is under pressure to convince investors that it will be profitable even as it pursues its expansion plans.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
The American automaker is increasing profits while selling fewer vehicles as its rival pursues an opposite approach.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
But plans to reconnect South Korea's northernmost station to the rail network come at an awkward moment, as Pyongyang ignores Seoul's overtures while the South's old ally Washington pursues its own talks with Pyongyang.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
As the company pursues its comprehensive travel ambitions, the question remains whether the Airbnb of tomorrow can maintain character as the foundation upon which the business is built.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 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
Since the Cold War, the U.S. and its rivals have largely pursued expensive, exquisite weapons systems, which proved effective in limited conflicts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
Most of the legal actions have been pursued by employees of government institutions, or unionised workers, who have some free-speech protections.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
The Fed recently pursued a significant hiking cycle between 2022 and 2024, interest rates generally remain high and it would not be a sudden shift in expectations, he noted.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who serves as the Smithsonian Chancellor, hailed his "distinguished service," adding: "Secretary Bunch has pursued excellence in the telling of our nation's story."
From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026
“It’s okay. It would’ve been a disservice to the world if you hadn’t pursued it, you know?”
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
Dylan, she said, was pursuing acting while Carys was interested in directing.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
“I wanted to be that person because I wanted to tell people that no matter what kind of disability you have, we should not let those disabilities stop us from pursuing our golden dream.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
But on a grand scale, expect a period of retrenchment as companies reassess which targets are worth pursuing and which patients are most likely to benefit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
The Harvard Office of Technology Development is actively pursuing patent protection and commercialization opportunities for the innovations arising from this research.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 12, 2026
Perhaps Vaughan, blind to his friend’s machinations, had mentioned the investigation that he had been pursuing and confided the location of the hideout containing his money and evidence.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
