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

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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 Basic economic theory says that people act in accordance with their own best self-interests, in an effort to pursue personal material gain. Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2025 Your brain is wired to imagine bold futures (prefrontal cortex), pursue meaningful challenge (dopamine), adapt on the fly (neuroplasticity) and thrive on uncertainty (evolutionary reward circuits). Adam Levine, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025 David Caruso infamously quit NYPD Blue after the first season to pursue movie stardom that never came; that show did fine without him, in part because replacement Jimmy Smits was so good, but mainly because Caruso had by that point already been usurped in fans’ hearts by co-star Dennis Franz. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2025 Full Story Tax Watch GOP moderates fret over health care cuts Moderate Republicans are worried about health care budget cuts their party is pursuing to help pay for the tax cut extensions at the center of the GOP’s legislative agenda. Aris Folley, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pursue
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pursue
Verb
  • The capturing of one of the sun's most elusive features is bound to inspire others to chase partial eclipses, particularly those occurring at sunrise or sunset, Seaton said.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Sugar Creek, Missouri police officers began chasing a woman in a car on Interstate 435 Monday afternoon, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez, a Kansas City Police Department spokesperson.
    Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The administration is also seeking relief from having to file daily updates on its progress.
    Ben Finley, Baltimore Sun, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Ballard was also hired by TikTok last September as that company sought to maintain its U.S. footprint amid calls to ban the service.
    Soo Rin Kim, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Western Digital’s Historical Odds Of Positive Post-Earnings Return Some insights on one-day (1D) post-earnings returns: There have been 19 earnings data points tracked over the last five years, yielding 8 positive and 11 negative one-day (1D) returns.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Traces of her Oglala Lakota mother survive in the spare federal records that track reservation residents.
    Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In 2006, Steve Irwin died following an injury from a stingray incurred during the filming of an underwater documentary.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Somehow, along the way, we have become lost in following these simple guidelines and thus have created a downward spiral in American health and well-being.
    Kevin Reutenauer, Hartford Courant, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Dunk’s return to form against West Ham was accompanied by Solly March’s first start for 18 months after major knee damage.
    Andy Naylor, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Upon embarking the plane, you will be accompanied right to your chauffeur.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 29 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pursue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pursue. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

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