as in pursuit
the act of going after or in the tracks of another
the controversy concerning the pursuing of criminals in speeding vehicles along busy highways
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in chasing
to go after or on the track of
the policeman doggedly pursued the pickpocket through the crowded subway station
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in seeking
to go in search of
urged the graduates to pursue personal fulfillment instead of financial success
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pursuing
Mathew Schumer, Baltimore Sun, 1 Apr. 2026
To that point, Fortune reported last week that 77% of enterprises are actively pursuing AI initiatives—but many don’t know how to evaluate, procure, or deploy the tools effectively, leaving significant spending without measurable return.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
And both become unexpected objects of sympathy for the detectives pursuing them.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
The event saw a litany of high profile personalities talk about the promise of AI in cinema, a cause Runway has dedicated itself to pursuing.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
Mitchell also pointed to that clause when asked about pursuing charges related to the lawsuit and whether existing law was sufficient.
—Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Agibot recently announced the rollout of its 10,000th humanoid robot, while Unitree Robotics is pursuing a $580 million funding push to support a facility targeting 75,000 units per year.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 31 Mar. 2026
Effectively pursuing all four of these strategies at once, backed by good intelligence and cutting off supply from Iran, could make the war an easier affair than in 2024.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026
The Naperville Garden Club is offering college scholarships to students pursuing studies in horticulture, conservation and environmental sciences.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
His career path is noted by local teachers and community members as a model for pursuing STEM fields from a Baltimore County foundation.
—Mathew Schumer, Baltimore Sun, 1 Apr. 2026
To that point, Fortune reported last week that 77% of enterprises are actively pursuing AI initiatives—but many don’t know how to evaluate, procure, or deploy the tools effectively, leaving significant spending without measurable return.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
And both become unexpected objects of sympathy for the detectives pursuing them.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
The event saw a litany of high profile personalities talk about the promise of AI in cinema, a cause Runway has dedicated itself to pursuing.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
Mitchell also pointed to that clause when asked about pursuing charges related to the lawsuit and whether existing law was sufficient.
—Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Agibot recently announced the rollout of its 10,000th humanoid robot, while Unitree Robotics is pursuing a $580 million funding push to support a facility targeting 75,000 units per year.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 31 Mar. 2026
Effectively pursuing all four of these strategies at once, backed by good intelligence and cutting off supply from Iran, could make the war an easier affair than in 2024.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 26 Mar. 2026
The Naperville Garden Club is offering college scholarships to students pursuing studies in horticulture, conservation and environmental sciences.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pursuing
Noun
-
In the Pomona case, O'Malley said that officers had to weigh the costs of continuing the pursuit.—
Tom Wait,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Most families here are descendants of settlers from Ireland and England who came in pursuit of cod 300-plus years ago.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The timing is particularly painful given the significance of what the Bella Twins are chasing.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Volkswagen attempted an anti-tech pro-human message during the Super Bowl with an ad that showed earthy pleasures like dancing in the rain and chasing an ice-cream truck.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For example, a mother seeking asylum would not be able to add her child to her application, according to Conchita Cruz with the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
As Kansas City considers big changes to its rules for developers seeking tax breaks, local affordable housing advocates want officials to pump the brakes and think more about the consequences of such a shift.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
During key periods like the pandemic boom and another surge in 2025, trading card indexes tracking Pokémon sales posted gains that far exceeded the S&P 500's long-term average annual return of 10% to 12%, according to trading card valuation tool Card Ladder.—
Brandon Gomez,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Arirang sold 641,000 total copies in its first week of release — the most by a group since Billboard started tracking streaming numbers in 2014 — including 532,000 in pure album sales.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Here’s how the other following contenders landed in the top five for Charlotte’s best places to live.—
Chase Jordan
March 30,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The Knicks lost a second game in a row for just the fourth time this season, following Thursday’s loss to the Charlotte Hornets with a late-game collapse against the defending champs.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pursuing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pursuing. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
