quest

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a jury of inquest
2
: an act or instance of seeking:
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

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
One of many challenges facing the incumbent president in his quest for re-election. ABC News, 24 Sep. 2023 The White Tee The quest for the perfect white T-shirt can feel almost Herculean at times. Alex Apatoff, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2023 Fighting ‘the beast’: Firefighters recall the desperate quest to save Lahaina On the morning of Aug. 8, just before 9 a.m., Maui County declared a brush fire in Lahaina, Hawaii, 100% contained. Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 20 Sep. 2023 But Johnson’s quest is not just about staying rested or maintaining muscle tone. Time, 20 Sep. 2023 Nothing shall come between our quest for happiness and calmness. Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 18 Sep. 2023 This quest for space led to the removal of side decks and a full-beam interior. Giacomo Barbaro, Robb Report, 15 Sep. 2023 When his big gamble begins to pay off, Keith finds himself at the center of a David vs. Goliath-like movement, where everyday people join him in his quest to flip the script on Wall Street. Nigel Smith, Peoplemag, 15 Sep. 2023 Grammer wants to be a champion, but the charm of his story lies less in his quest for greatness than in his human complexity. Longreads, 15 Sep. 2023
Verb
Clinton was forever questing for ways to feed the world for pennies. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2023 Should that quest fail, Reddish could compete for the starting small forward job. Afentres, oregonlive, 6 May 2023 Suited, demented man, questing for angels. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2023 His career took off in 1959, when he was recruited for the drummer Art Blakey’s group; his complex yet catchy compositions were as important to the band’s identity as were his boldly questing solos. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2023 But her new album Wary + Strange, out Friday on Rounder Records, is a raw, crystal-clear statement of Black power and gay pride that is intensely personal, yet also speaks directly to America’s current sociopolitical moment and quest for racial justice. Marcus Dowling, Billboard, 17 June 2021 Only in the future, when a proper car replacement service is ready, will people quest for a multi-use app. Brad Templeton, Forbes, 8 Sep. 2021 The nymphs then quest, moving to the tips of long grass and brush to wait for their next blood meal to wander by: a dog, a deer, or that accidental human host. Wendy Orent, Discover Magazine, 11 Dec. 2013 Meanwhile, the second season was all about her brother Anthony Bridgerton's (Jonathan Bailey) quest to find his viscountess. Tracey Harrington McCoy, Peoplemag, 30 Jan. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of quest was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near quest

Cite this Entry

“Quest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quest. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

quest

1 of 2 noun
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

More from Merriam-Webster on quest

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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