seek

verb

sought ˈsȯt How to pronounce seek (audio) ; seeking

transitive verb

1
: to resort to : go to
2
a
: to go in search of : look for
b
: to try to discover
3
: to ask for : request
seeks advice
4
: to try to acquire or gain : aim at
seek fame
5
: to make an attempt : try
used with to and an infinitive
governments … seek to keep the bulk of their people contentedD. M. Potter

intransitive verb

1
: to make a search or inquiry
2
a
: to be sought
b
: to be lacking
in critical judgment … they were sadly to seekThe Times Literary Supplement (London)
seeker noun

Example Sentences

The office is seeking a salesperson. The prince is seeking a wife. Snakes seek the sun to warm their bodies. You should visit your doctor and seek his advice. You should seek medical help immediately if you experience any chest pain or shortness of breath. The church is seeking donations. He sought revenge for his son's murder. During the war, she sought asylum in Spain. They sought refuge in Canada. The company is seeking new ways to improve service. See More
Recent Examples on the Web But if the program is successful, the parks department will seek alternate funding from the city or from a sponsor to continue it, said Aguilar. The Arizona Republic, 21 Feb. 2023 In his nearly three decades of special education experience, Willis found that most parents don’t seek advocates — who can offer free advice — or attorneys. Lulu Ramadan, ProPublica, 19 Feb. 2023 Attorney General Merrick Garland has said the government will seek further review of that decision. Alanna Durkin Richer And Lindsay Whitehurst, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Feb. 2023 Senator Dianne Feinstein, 89, a trailblazing California Democrat first elected in 1992, won’t seek re-election. David Leonhardt, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2023 In an off-camera exchange with reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday after the statement was released, Feinstein was asked about her announcement to not seek reelection. Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2023 This was one of the reasons Mr. Krach didn’t seek an upper-level position at the insurance company. Ngan Ho, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2023 Jens Stoltenberg will not seek a fourth extension as NATO’s secretary general when his mandate expires in October, a spokesperson for the alliance said in a statement. Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 12 Feb. 2023 Hutchinson, who was term-limited and could not seek reelection in November, is a former federal homeland security undersecretary, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration administrator, congressman and U.S. attorney. Will Langhorne, Arkansas Online, 12 Feb. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'seek.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English seken, from Old English sēcan; akin to Old High German suohhen to seek, Latin sagus prophetic, Greek hēgeisthai to lead

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of seek was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near seek

Cite this Entry

“Seek.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seek. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

seek

verb
sought ˈsȯt How to pronounce seek (audio) ; seeking
1
: to go to
seek the shade on a sunny day
2
a
: to go in search of : look for
seek out the guilty person
b
: to try to discover
seek the truth
3
: to ask for : request
seeks advice
4
: to try to acquire or gain : aim at
seeking public office
5
: to make an attempt : try
seek to find a way
sought to improve my work
seeker noun

More from Merriam-Webster on seek

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!


What Did You Just Call Me?

  • brown chihuahua sitting on the floor with squinting eyes looking at the camera
  • Before we went to her house, Hannah told us her aunt was a flibbertigibbet.
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY