1
as in tracking
the act of going after or in the tracks of another the cat ran down the street with a pair of dogs in pursuit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in hobby
an activity outside of one's regular occupation that is engaged in primarily for pleasure a workaholic with few pursuits outside of the office

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun pursuit differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of pursuit are business, calling, employment, métier, occupation, and work. While all these words mean "a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living," pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest.

her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

When is business a more appropriate choice than pursuit?

While in some cases nearly identical to pursuit, business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs.

the business of managing a hotel

When might calling be a better fit than pursuit?

The meanings of calling and pursuit largely overlap; however, calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession.

the ministry seemed my true calling

When is it sensible to use employment instead of pursuit?

The words employment and pursuit can be used in similar contexts, but employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer.

your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

When would métier be a good substitute for pursuit?

The synonyms métier and pursuit are sometimes interchangeable, but métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.

acting was my one and only métier

In what contexts can occupation take the place of pursuit?

While the synonyms occupation and pursuit are close in meaning, occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

When can work be used instead of pursuit?

Although the words work and pursuit have much in common, work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not.

her work as a hospital volunteer

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 pursuit The pursuit of beauty is a Sisyphean one, as Deborah Vance—the character that earned Smart her Emmy nomination—will be the first to tell you. Sam Reed, Glamour, 12 Sep. 2025 Earlier this year, at the Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, the EAST set a new world record and paved the way ahead in the pursuit of limitless, clean fusion energy. Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2025 However, he was drawn to Hosoki’s compelling rise from post-war poverty and her unapologetic pursuit of desires. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Sep. 2025 Redefine entrepreneurial success as a balance between financial ambition and preference for autonomy with the pursuit of well-being, ideally without jeopardizing either. Samantha Dewalt, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pursuit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pursuit
Noun
  • Julz Arney, Apple's senior director of fitness technologies, said the AirPods Pro 3 will offer heart rate sensing and calorie tracking, in addition to 50 workouts that can be started solely through the earbuds.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The tracking request follows previous work for the uncrewed Artemis 1 mission in 2022, which saw 10 volunteer organizations track Orion on its trip to lunar orbit and back.
    Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Her hobbies include lusting after them, dating them, hanging out at their beach house, contemplative night-swimming in their pool, and occasionally playing volleyball.
    Vogue, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Saudi Arabia’s art scene, long constrained by restrictions and dismissed as a hobby, is now drawing institutional support as the kingdom looks to project its culture globally.
    Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Each investigation into a case includes identifying and reaching out to people who may have been exposed by the person who tested positive for measles, a process known as contact tracing.
    Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • But the crayoned tracing of Jaron’s hand above Goldie’s head was almost invisible.
    Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Over three decades, the community has witnessed the Chens’ children growing up—attending their sports games, hearing them practice piano in the restaurant, and blurring the line between customer and friend.
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Ciardi, a former professional baseball pitcher, had produced a few major sports films and thought Flynt’s story would make an ideal movie.
    Tim Casey, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Time generally runs out on teams that are doing the chasing while every passing day is like a win intself for the teams being chased.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025
  • For Kappahl, Hedin continued, staying within a consistent style—rather than trend chasing—nets a greater intersectional gain.
    Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • To secure this ideal, the country would need to establish necessities such as education, employment, decent shelter, medical care, and recreation as human rights — rights to be as inalienable as the freedoms of speech and religion are today.
    Big Think, Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Finalized in 2024, the Public Lands Rule placed conservation on equal footing as livestock grazing, energy development and outdoor recreation under the BLM’s multiple-use mandate.
    John Leos, AZCentral.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Retired from her long vocation as a research chemist, Schafer, at 81, remains on the job with her avocations.
    Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 May 2025
  • These avocations can take many shapes—traveling, golf, time with family, snowboarding, knitting, hunting, gardening, fishing, church choir, college football, crossword puzzles, theater, cycling, and walking.
    Wes Moss, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Welcome to Path to Playoff , the USA TODAY Sports newsletter covering all things college football and the chase for this year's national championship.
    Jordan Mendoza, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The Rangers and Guardians are also ahead of the Royals in the chase for the playoffs.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pursuit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pursuit. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on pursuit

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!