pursued

American  

[per-sood] / pərˈsud /

adjective

1. followed by a person or animal wishing to overtake, capture, kill, etc.; chased.

   Dogs' keen sense of smell and hunting instinct make it difficult for a pursued animal to escape.

2. being the goal or purpose that motivates a person’s striving or effort.

   Every phrase in the document has been carefully weighed to serve the pursued objective.

3. carried on or continued.

   Going from one university to another for short stays might be less beneficial than a steadily pursued course at one place.

4. practiced, as an occupation, pastime, etc..

   Whether as a hobby or as a career, music and dance have always been among the most highly pursued performing arts.

5. studied or discussed over some time.

   This publication focuses on the long pursued question of best timing for orthodontic treatment.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of pursue.

Other Word Forms

• unpursued adjective

Etymology

Origin of pursued

pursue ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

The Gulf has long pursued industries that require loads of cheap energy—Aluminium Bahrain, a giant producer damaged over the weekend, dates to the 1970s.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Nearly half of the cases turned down for those offenses were out of the New Jersey U.S. attorney’s office, which in the past has aggressively pursued alleged union corruption.

From Salon • Apr. 1, 2026

"We will remember the courage and bravery of our fallen members and every officer that has doggedly pursued this outcome for the community."

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Mauritius has long claimed the islands and has pursued international legal action.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Then Edondurath returned to the Birthplace on the Gobrin Ice where the bodies of the others lay, but the last one was gone: he had escaped while Edondurath pursued Haharath.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Related Words

• followed