seek
Americanverb (used with object)
-
seeks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sought,
past participle, past
-
seeking
present participle
-
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)
-
seeks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sought,
past participle, past
-
seeking
present participle
idioms
verb
-
to try to find by searching; look for
to seek a solution
-
(also intr) to try to obtain or acquire
to seek happiness
-
to attempt (to do something); try
I'm only seeking to help
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(also intr) to enquire about or request (something)
to seek help
-
to go or resort to
to seek the garden for peace
-
an archaic word for explore
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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seeksimple
-
seekssimple
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have soughtperfect
-
has soughtperfect
-
am seekingprogressive
-
are seekingprogressive
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is seekingprogressive
-
have been seekingperfect progressive
-
has been seekingperfect progressive
Past
-
soughtsimple
-
had soughtperfect
-
was seekingprogressive
-
were seekingprogressive
-
had been seekingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of seek
First recorded 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
Explanation
If you seek an accordion player for your new polka band, it means you are looking for a band mate. When you seek something, you try to find it. It's possible to seek fame, or snacks, or a college degree, or approval — as long as you're looking for it, or longing for it, you're seeking it. The origins of the word seek go back to the Latin word sagire, which means "to perceive keenly by scent." Imagine a dog tracking a rabbit, sniffing the ground and following its scent, and you'll know exactly what it means to seek something.
Vocabulary lists containing seek
"Earthquake"
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Word Generation Social Studies - Experiences of Two Children in Warn-torn Sudan
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"Brother Ray" and "Power of the Powerless"
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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:
While millions of Indians seek jobs in the Gulf, some workers say Kashmir offers nearly comparable earnings without the costs and complications of overseas migration.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
The Liberal Democrat councillor urged anyone facing financial hardship to seek help through Devon's Crisis and Resilience Fund, available through local district councils.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
But studies have found that ectopic rates are far lower among people who seek medication abortions than in the general population.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
But for a quarter-century, despite repeated attempts and enemies who seek America’s destruction, the U.S. hasn’t suffered another terrorist attack remotely approaching the destruction of Sept. 11.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
They cooked up a plan to seek revenge upon the rating agencies, for instance.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
Holden Triplett, who served as Trump’s counterintelligence director on the National Security Council during his first term, said Russian intelligence frequently seeks to build ties with U.S. government officials and their family members.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
The solicitation, prepared in response to a federal court ruling, seeks applicants to run the homelessness database and housing matching system, conduct the annual homeless count and submit the annual application for U.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
Violet works in reproductive health services, while Annie runs Hear Her Collective, which seeks to improve support for girls and young women.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
Swets’s proposal, which The Wall Street Journal has seen, seeks to generate income for some of Greenland’s remote communities and to serve as a “confidence-building measure.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
That points to something wider: while the fusillade of insults moves its object out of the embrace of the community, it seeks to move its speaker closer to the center.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
An infield painted black sought to focus attention on the illuminated live events, while the horizontal jumps were decided in a bright pink sandpit.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Leaders of the Kennedy Center who have sought to add President Donald Trump's name to the storied institution say it is facing bankruptcy and possible closure in days, the Washington Post reported Sunday.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
The subpoenas issued stated that the information sought was for an ongoing criminal inquiry and was signed by Assistant U.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Lowrimore, who lives near the state border in Oklahoma, sought care at an Arkansas emergency department in February after experiencing abdominal pain and significant bleeding.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
They saw neither Huntsmen nor gwythaints, and they made little attempt at concealment; for, as the bard had said, the forces of Arawn sought the Crochan and not a pitiful band of stragglers.
From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander
Speaking to reporters at the Toronto International Film Festival, Carney denied Canada was seeking formal membership, saying: "We share the same values. We have the same priorities, and we have very complementary strengths."
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
Tarlov didn’t start out seeking a career as a TV personality, although her family background likely helped her understand media and communication.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
Tamaki, 66, was seeking his third term on Sunday.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
That same month, Wilson launched a proxy fight seeking to overhaul the company’s board.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
“Today, for game number ten of the duodecimalthon, we’ll do a little role-playing. You Olympians will play librarians, and I will play the patron who has come here seeking a very particular, very special book.”
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
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.
