PURSUE Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'pursue' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of pursue are chase , follow , and trail . While all these words mean "to go after or on the track of something or someone," pursue suggests a continuing effort to overtake, reach, or attain. // pursued the criminal through narrow streets

Q: When might 'chase' be a better fit than 'pursue'?

While in some cases nearly identical to pursue , chase implies going swiftly after and trying to overtake something fleeing or running. // a dog chasing a cat

Q: When is it sensible to use 'follow' instead of 'pursue'?

The synonyms follow and pursue are sometimes interchangeable, but follow puts less emphasis upon speed or intent to overtake. // friends followed me home in their car

Q: When would 'trail' be a good substitute for 'pursue'?

In some situations, the words trail and pursue are roughly equivalent. However, trail may stress a following of tracks or traces rather than a visible object. // trail deer // trailed a suspect across the country

pursue

verb

pər-ˈsü

Definition of pursue next

as in to chase

to go after or on the track of the policeman doggedly pursued the pickpocket through the crowded subway station

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to seek

to go in search of urged the graduates to pursue personal fulfillment instead of financial success

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word pursue distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of pursue are chase, follow, and trail. While all these words mean "to go after or on the track of something or someone," pursue suggests a continuing effort to overtake, reach, or attain.

pursued the criminal through narrow streets

When might chase be a better fit than pursue?

While in some cases nearly identical to pursue, chase implies going swiftly after and trying to overtake something fleeing or running.

a dog chasing a cat

When is it sensible to use follow instead of pursue?

The synonyms follow and pursue are sometimes interchangeable, but follow puts less emphasis upon speed or intent to overtake.

friends followed me home in their car

When would trail be a good substitute for pursue?

In some situations, the words trail and pursue are roughly equivalent. However, trail may stress a following of tracks or traces rather than a visible object.

trail deer

trailed a suspect across the country

Examples 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 pursue This is also a fantastic time to pursue therapy and/or mental health counseling to help you through quitting. —

Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 27 Dec. 2024 Borgen will have plenty of suitors ahead of the deadline, but there may not be anyone more motivated to pursue him than Vancouver. —

Pierre Lebrun, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024 The 100-acre property, overlooking the river Ganges, provides a uniquely serene setting for pursuing harmony of mind, body, and spirit. —

Marion Miller, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2024 Armed and Underground: Inside the Turbulent, Secret World of an American Militia By Joshua Kaplan Internal messages reveal how AP3, one of the largest U.S. militias, rose even as prosecutors pursued other paramilitary groups after the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol. 4. —

ProPublica, 26 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pursue

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pursue

Verb

Blown defensive assignments and a lot of puck watching gave Nic Dowd an open net for his ninth, and the Leafs wound up back in the chasing category.

Omar White, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024
The Browns have given up the ghost while the Dolphins are still chasing theirs.

Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 27 Dec. 2024