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Definitions

pursue

[per-soo] / pərˈsu /
VERB
chase, follow
Synonyms
STRONGEST
go after seek
STRONG
accompany attend badger bait bug chivy dog fish harass harry haunt hound hunt oppress persevere persist plague ride shadow stalk tag tail trace track trail
WEAK
bird-dog camp on the doorstep of give chase hunt down move behind nose around play catch up poke around prowl after run after run down scout out search for search high heaven search out take out after track down
Antonyms
STRONG
aid assist be lazy give up help ignore leave leave alone let go neglect quit run away stop support
WEAK
discontinue eschew retreat shun
VERB
have as one's goal
Synonyms
STRONGEST
attempt seek
STRONG
desire purpose
WEAK
aim for aspire to go in for go out for have a go at strive for try for work for work toward
Antonyms
WEAK
discontinue eschew give up ignore retreat run away shun stop
VERB
persist, persevere
Synonyms
STRONGEST
conduct continue engage in maintain practice proceed prosecute tackle
STRONG
adhere cultivate perform ply wage
WEAK
apply oneself carry on hold to keep on see through work at
Antonyms
STRONGEST
cease forget halt neglect stop
WEAK
discontinue eschew give up ignore retreat run away shun
VERB
seek social alliance with
Synonyms
STRONGEST
address chase go after sue
STRONG
call court date rush spark woo
WEAK
chase after go for pay attention pay court play up to sweetheart
Antonyms
STRONG
ignore stop
WEAK
discontinue eschew give up retreat run away shun

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The companies said on Monday that they had amended their agreement to give each party the “flexibility to pursue new opportunities.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026

Raised predominantly by his grandmother, he moved to Iten to pursue his running ambitions in 2017, but his time in Kenya's 'home of champions' failed to produce the desired results.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

Pyongyang is likely to pursue "continuous" ballistic missile testing as it pivots from simple weapons development towards the "normalisation of nuclear operations", he said.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

Going forward, Stassun said he expected the Trump administration to pursue a narrower agenda, from investments in artificial intelligence to building a fleet of Antarctic vessels.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2026

Troops still had not called on Dr. Mudd to pursue his tip—because they still did not know about it!

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson

Vocabulary lists containing pursue

Commonly Misspelled Words, List 6

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"Creativity at Work" and "The Hidden Secrets of the Creative Mind"

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"Tribute to the Dog," Vocabulary from the speech

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!