PURSUED Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

pursued

verb

past tense of pursue

as in chased

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

as in sought

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 pursued Instead, the Sheikh and Sheikha pursued a strategy of self-defense through economic influence and self-promotion. — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026 And when the pursued begins to circle a residential area — a common occurrence during police pursuits — all news helicopters are expected to stop and hover in place, even if their shots are temporarily blocked by trees and buildings. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026 The administration has not announced plans for a military operation against Cuba, and officials have also pursued diplomatic contacts with Havana. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2026 Cora, the granddaughter of a woman kidnapped from West Africa and sold into slavery, flees her captor’s plantation, plunging her into the book’s alternate steampunk reality where she is pursued by the merciless slave catcher Ridgeway. — David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 2026 Thousands of 9/11 family members have pursued a long-running lawsuit against Saudi Arabia for possibly providing support to the hijackers. — Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026 Dictators chose repression, extremists chose violence, and regional powers pursued their interests. — Ayman M. Mohyeldin, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026 Worrell said in February that the 2021 case and his subsequent lack of treatment could factor into whether the death penalty is pursued. — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026 Illinois never pursued that option, and Iowa Interstate did not respond to a request for comment. — Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pursued

Verb

The man, identified as 22-year-old Rohit Rohit, chased Thakur down outside a Panera and shot her multiple times, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

— Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Operators that mastered complexity while others chased appearances.

— Nia Bowers, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of chased

Verb

The Rolling Stones were known to have enjoyed the atmosphere at the Tavern in the 1960s, and Yoko Ono is said to have sought respite at the inn after John Lennon's death.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Sep. 2026
While Sheik sought treatment for alcohol addiction after canceling a tour in 2011, his stage and studio career never slowed.

— Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of sought

Verb

Removals of Nicaraguans have also surged, with deportation flights to Managua increasing more than fourfold under Trump compared to under President Biden, according to data tracked by Human Rights First.

— Ismael López, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
In real-world testing with the always-on display enabled, one tracked workout with GPS per day, and otherwise typical use, the Apple Watch Ultra 4 lasted for 74 hours.

— Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of tracked

Verb

The move is the first in a string of major central bank decisions this week, with the Bank of England up next, and followed by the Bank of Japan on Friday.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
That study, being conducted by DRC and Doctors Without Borders, will give participants a shot of Ervebo, followed a month later by a shot of an experimental vaccine designed to protect against the Sudan version of the Ebola virus.

— Helen Branswell, STAT, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of followed

Verb

My pungent plateful grew in strength from tomme to Shropshire blue, accompanied by crusty bread, fruit and nuts.

— Adrienne Wyper, TheWeek, 17 Sep. 2026
Considerable controversy and confusion accompanied this moment; some students tried to sue expensive universities on the grounds that a closed campus was not worth the full-freight price.

— Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of accompanied

Browse Nearby Words

pursue

pursued

pursuer

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pursued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pursued. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of pursued

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

elegiac

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18

Popular

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes