quest

1 of 2

noun

ˈkwest 

1

a

: a jury of inquest

b

: investigation

2

: an act or instance of seeking:

a

: pursuit, search

b

: a chivalrous enterprise in medieval romance usually involving an adventurous journey

3

obsolete : a person or group of persons who search or make inquiry

quest

2 of 2

verb

quested; questing; quests

intransitive verb

1

of a dog

a

: to search a trail

b

: bay

2

: to go on a quest

transitive verb

1

: to search for

2

: to ask for

quester noun

Synonyms

Noun

• hunt
• search

Verb

• call (for)
• claim
• clamor (for)
• command
• demand
• enjoin
• exact
• insist (on)
• press (for)
• stipulate (for)

Examples of quest in a Sentence

Noun

They went on a quest for gold.

The team's quest to win a championship finally came to an end.

He refuses to give up his quest to discover the truth.

Verb

They were questing for gold.

I respectfully quest your assistance in this matter.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After landing their franchise quarterback in 2024 and making the playoffs during Bo Nix’s encouraging rookie season, this offseason has been about careful upgrades designed to help Denver take another step forward in its quest to become real contenders — and not just in 2025. —Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025

Wrap Around iPhone One Step Closer Apple’s quest to create a minimalist all-glass all-display iPhone continues inside the R&D department. —Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025

Verb

Larval black-legged ticks, newly hatched and free of infection, begin questing for their first blood meal. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025

Diaz’s rangy, propulsive music has immediate curb appeal but with a scary, questing quality that provides the necessary big endings without pat resolutions — a combination that hits Menzel’s sweet spot over and over. —Jesse Green, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French queste, Vulgar Latin *quaesta, from Latin, feminine of quaestus, past participle of quaerere

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing quest

• in quest of
• vision quest

Rhymes for quest

• blessed
• blest
• breast
• chest
• crest
• dressed
• fest
• gest
• geste
• guessed
• jest
• lest

Kids Definition

quest

1 of 2 noun

ˈkwest 

1

: an act or instance of seeking

2

a

: search entry 2

in quest of game

b

: an adventurous journey by a knight in a tale of olden days

quest

2 of 2 verb

1

: to go on a quest : seek

2

: to search for : pursue

3

: to ask for : demand