Synonyms of seek

seek

verb

ˈsēk 

1

as in to pursue

to go in search of

Henry Hudson was set adrift by mutinous crewmen while seeking the Northwest Passage to the Pacific Ocean

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pursue
• hunt
• search (for or out)
• chase (down)
• quest
• look up
• shop (for)
• look for
• cast about (for)
• forage (for)
• cast around (for)
• ferret (out)
• root (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lose
• hide
• ignore
• neglect

2

as in to request

to make a request for

came seeking financial advice

Synonyms & Similar Words

• request
• desire
• require
• quest
• urge
• speak (for)
• call (for)
• demand
• sue (for)
• invite
• solicit
• plead (for)
• ask (for)
• claim
• apply (for)
• invoke
• wish (for)
• bespeak
• importune
• beg (for)
• enjoin
• press (for)
• insist (on)
• clamor (for)
• exact
• petition (for)
• requisition

3

as in to try

to make an effort to do

seek to find the best solution

Synonyms & Similar Words

• try
• attempt
• strive
• endeavor
• shoot at
• essay
• hope
• assay
• struggle
• have a go at
• aim
• undertake
• work
• fight
• try one's hand (at)
• aspire
• toil
• trouble
• assume
• take up
• strain

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• quit
• drop
• give up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of seek

The agency, led by chairman Michael Selig, also seeks to implement a disclosure mandate. — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 7 Aug. 2026

China has sought to build comparable leverage by promoting the renminbi in cross-border trade, developing alternative payment systems, and dominating critical supply chains. — Mark Jia, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026

State media have also reported that Pyongyang’s water parks have been filled with visitors seeking relief from the heat. — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026

One organization that seeks to strike that balance is the Bobolink Project, a conservation program that pays farmers in parts of New England to adopt bird-friendly haying practices. — Tran Chau, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026