1
as in to chase
to go after or on the track of the policeman doggedly pursued the pickpocket through the crowded subway station

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to seek
to go in search of urged the graduates to pursue personal fulfillment instead of financial success

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word pursue distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of pursue are chase, follow, and trail. While all these words mean "to go after or on the track of something or someone," pursue suggests a continuing effort to overtake, reach, or attain.

pursued the criminal through narrow streets

When might chase be a better fit than pursue?

While in some cases nearly identical to pursue, chase implies going swiftly after and trying to overtake something fleeing or running.

a dog chasing a cat

When is it sensible to use follow instead of pursue?

The synonyms follow and pursue are sometimes interchangeable, but follow puts less emphasis upon speed or intent to overtake.

friends followed me home in their car

When would trail be a good substitute for pursue?

In some situations, the words trail and pursue are roughly equivalent. However, trail may stress a following of tracks or traces rather than a visible object.

trail deer
trailed a suspect across the country

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 pursue In 2002, Bertino packed up his car and hit the road to Hollywood to pursue his filmmaking dreams. Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2025 Last year, Alemeda spoke to Rolling Stone about choosing to pursue a pop-rock sound in her music. Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025 Depending on the price tag that Las Vegas would place on Meyers, the 49ers should seriously consider pursuing a deal for him. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025 Costume not advised for those who aren’t already disabled hijabis… but pursue at your own risk. Samantha Allen, Them., 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pursue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pursue
Verb
  • Cavazos says this work — chasing leads or even, at times, following ICE agents — to alert the community can be hard, especially now that the Department of Homeland Security regularly accuses groups like Cavazos' of interfering with their jobs and endangering the lives of immigration officers.
    Marisa Peñaloza, NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
  • In private debt, incentive misalignment can arise if managers prioritize asset growth at all costs, which sometimes leads to chasing thinner spreads or riskier deals.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • If trapped by moving water, seek the highest possible point and contact emergency services by calling 911.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Human rights in Russia will suffer if the surveillance of dissident activity ramps up, and those seeking alternative means of communicating will stand out even more as regime-threatening anomalies.
    Justin Sherman, The Atlantic, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The shipborne system draws tracking data from the Baden-Württemberg’s TRS-4D AESA radar, integrated into its combat management system.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
  • That would track with current projections, which have four movies expected to crack double digits in total nominations on Oscar morning.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In his candid remarks on earnings calls, Karp doesn’t always follow advice for talking points.
    Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
  • All crossings between Afghanistan and Pakistan were shut on Sunday following ongoing clashes.
    Happymon Jacob, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The numbers fluctuate over the years, but, as a broad trend, the improvement in pass completion and the number of passes made per game over the past decade was accompanied by a significant rise in goals scored and, in particular, the proportion of goals scored from open play.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The Labubu craze doesn’t seem to be dying down any time soon, as new, mainstream, and rare editions are all in high demand, and fans often look for clothing and event advent calendars to accompany their cute yet scary figurines.
    Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 16 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pursue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pursue. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on pursue

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!