Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense pursues, present participle pursuing, past tense, past participle pursued
1. verb
If you pursue an activity, interest, or plan, you carry it out or follow it.
[formal]
He said his country would continue to pursue the policies laid down at the summit. [VERB noun]
She had come to England to pursue an acting career. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: engage in, follow, perform, conduct More Synonyms of pursue
2. verb
If you pursue a particular aim or result, you make efforts to achieve it, often over a long period of time.
[formal]
The implication is that it is impossible to pursue economic reform and democracysimultaneously. [VERB noun]
Mr. Menendez has aggressively pursued new business. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: try for, seek, desire, search for More Synonyms of pursue
3. verb
If you pursue a particular topic, you try to find out more about it by asking questions.
[formal]
If your original request is denied, don't be afraid to pursue the matter. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: continue, maintain, carry on, keep on More Synonyms of pursue
4. verb
If you pursue a person, vehicle, or animal, you follow them, usually in order to catch them.
[formal]
She pursued the man who had stolen a woman's bag. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: follow, track, hunt, chase More Synonyms of pursue
More Synonyms of pursue
pursue in British English
(pəˈsjuː)
verbWord forms: -sues, -suing or -sued(mainly tr)
1. (also intr)
to follow (a fugitive, etc) in order to capture or overtake
2.
(esp of something bad or unlucky) to follow closely or accompany
ill health pursued her
3.
to seek or strive to attain (some object, desire, etc)
4.
to follow the precepts of (a plan, policy, etc)
5.
to apply oneself to (one's studies, hobbies, etc)
6.
to follow persistently or seek to become acquainted with
7.
to continue to discuss or argue (a point, subject, etc)
Derived forms
pursuer (purˈsuer)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Anglo-Norman pursiwer, from Old French poursivre, from Latin prōsequī to follow after
pursue in American English
(pərˈsu; pərˈsju)
verb transitiveWord forms: purˈsued or purˈsuing
1.
to follow in order to overtake, capture, or kill; chase
2.
to proceed along, follow, or continue with (a specified course, action, plan, etc.)
3.
to try to find, get, win, etc.; strive for; seek after
to pursue success
4.
to have as one's occupation, profession, or study; devote oneself to
5.
to continue to annoy or distress; hound
pursued by bad luck
verb intransitive
6.
to chase
7.
to go on; continue
Derived forms
pursuer (purˈsuer)
noun
Word origin
ME pursuen < OFr poursuir < VL prosequere, for L prosequi < pro-, forth + sequi, to follow: see sequent
Examples of 'pursue' in a sentence
pursue
When did you decide to pursue a career as a musician?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Was it inevitable that she would pursue a career on the catwalk?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Having an aim and pursuing it constantly, not being deflected.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
In a different study, researchers asked art students why they wanted to pursue a career in the industry.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Having given up hope of being leader, he has clearly decided to pursue a career as a moose.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
If not for the financial help we are able to give, passed down from our own parents, he could not pursue a career in science.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Crown is aggressively pursuing new export and licensing opportunities.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Yet he seems nervous about pursuing the reforms to the end.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Did she think of pursuing a different career?
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
We must pursue the aims and values for which they lost their lives.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It is a point of view and an activity devoted to pursuing that point of view.
Porush, David A Short Guide to Writing About Science (1995)
He pursued this aim with tenacity and political skill.
Grenville, J. A. S. The Collins History of the World in the 20th Century (1994)
How much of your religious activity is about pursuing something other than intimacy with him?
Christianity Today (2000)
There was hardly anything about wives pursuing a career.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Finding an effective treatment depends largely on how vigorously you pursue your aim.
Wilkinson, Steve M.E. and You - a self-help plan (1988)
Advice about which activity to pursue or places to visit is always on hand.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Have you been thinking about pursuing more independent issues for yourself?
The Sun (2015)
Social enterprise organisations are established to pursue social aims and reinvest any financial surpluses to promote those aims.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It will be interesting to see which of the home medallists intend to pursue their careers in the paid ranks.
The Sun (2012)
No one would think to warn them of the perils of trying to raise a family while simultaneously pursuing a career.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It is baked into the numbers deeply, and it should be pursued aggressively.
Geoffrey A. Moore LIVING ON THE FAULT LINE, REVISED EDITION (2002)
She worked as an English and drama teacher before pursuing a fulltime career in acting.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The police need to focus resources on catching offenders and pursuing them - this is what the public demand.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Yet if the Government pursues these schemes aggressively there is a reasonable prospect of a decent recovery over the next two to three years.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Although there have been regular meetings between the two exchanges, regulatory issues would probably be sufficient to deter a match being pursued too closely.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The British pursued the Americans closely.
Hibbert, Christopher Red Coats and Rebels - the war for America 1770-1781 (1990)
In other languages
pursue
British English: pursue /pəˈsjuː/ VERB
aim If you pursue a particular aim or result, you make efforts to achieve it or to progress in it.
She came to England to pursue an acting career.
American English: pursue
Arabic: يُلاحِق
Brazilian Portuguese: perseguir
Chinese: 追赶
Croatian: slijediti
Czech: zabývat se
Danish: forfølge
Dutch: nastreven
European Spanish: perseguir buscar
Finnish: ajaa takaa
French: poursuivre continuer
German: verfolgen
Greek: επιδιώκω
Italian: inseguire
Japanese: 追跡する
Korean: 추적하다
Norwegian: jage
Polish: ścigać
European Portuguese: perseguir
Romanian: a urma
Russian: преследовать
Latin American Spanish: perseguir
Swedish: förfölja
Thai: ติดตาม
Turkish: peşine takılmak
Ukrainian: переслідувати
Vietnamese: theo đuổi
British English: pursue VERB
person, vehicle If you pursue a person, vehicle, or animal, you follow them, usually in order to catch them.
She pursued the man who had stolen a woman's bag.
American English: pursue
Brazilian Portuguese: perseguir
Chinese: 执行
European Spanish: perseguir
French: poursuivre
German: verfolgen
Italian: inseguire
Japanese: 遂行する
Korean: 뒤쫓다
European Portuguese: perseguir
Latin American Spanish: perseguir
All related terms of 'pursue'
pursue policies
A policy is a set of ideas or plans that is used as a basis for making decisions , especially in politics , economics , or business.
pursue a case
In law, a case is a trial or other legal inquiry .
pursue a dream
You can refer to a situation or event as a dream if you often think about it because you would like it to happen .
pursue a career
A career is the job or profession that someone does for a long period of their life.
pursue a course
A course of action is an action or a series of actions that you can do in a particular situation .
pursue an action
Action is doing something for a particular purpose.
pursue a strategy
A strategy is a general plan or set of plans intended to achieve something, especially over a long period.
pursue opportunities
An opportunity is a situation in which it is possible for you to do something that you want to do.
Chinese translation of 'pursue'
pursue
(pəˈsjuː) (frm)
vt
(= follow)[person, car]追赶(趕) (zhuīgǎn)
(= involve o.s. in)[activity, interest, policy, career]继(繼)续(續) (jìxù)