Chase

/t͡ʃeɪs/ name, noun, verb

name, noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: The act of one who chases another; a pursuit.
  • Grammar: chase is listed as name, noun, verb.
  • Nearest alternatives: pursuit, action sequence, address, afforestation.
  • Useful contrasts: abandon, achievement, calm moment.
  • Usage evidence: We all knew that Bob was on a wild-goose chase after Marge, because she was already happily engaged.

How to use "chase"

  1. Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "chase" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

  • Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "chase" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "chase" as the right word for your sentence.

If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "chase" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.

Compare nearby meanings

  • Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
  • Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
  • Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
  • Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.

Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "chase" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

Compare it with "pursuit" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.

3. Confirm with context

Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.

Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.

Final meaning check

Before publishing a sentence with "chase", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.

When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The act of one who chases another; a pursuit. countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    A rectangular steel or iron frame into which pages or columns of type are locked for printing or plate-making.

    "The die-maker should work upon the surface of an imposing table. First, he places on the table the chase in which the die is to be locked up. Second, he fills in the chase with regular printer’s wood furniture, leaving space in the center for the die, and placing locking quoins near the top of the chase and on the right-hand side of the chase. Third, the cutting and creasing rules are set in the open space in the center of the chase, filling in with metal or wood furniture."

  3. 3
    A groove cut in an object; a slot: the chase for the quarrel on a crossbow.
  4. 4
    the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or capture wordnet
  5. 5
    A hunt; the act of hunting; the pursuit of game. countable, uncountable

    "By-and-by, she wandered away to an unnecessary revelation of her master's whereabouts: gone to help in the search for his landlord, the Sieur de Poissy, who lived at the château just above, and who had not returned from his chase the day before; so the intendant imagined he might have met with some accident, and had summoned the neighbours to beat the forest and the hill-side."

Show 14 more definitions
  1. 6
    A trench or channel or other encasement structure for encasing (archaically spelled enchasing) drainpipes or wiring; a hollow space in the wall of a building encasing ventilation ducts, chimney flues, wires, cables or plumbing.
  2. 7
    a rectangular metal frame used in letterpress printing to hold together the pages or columns of composed type that are printed at one time wordnet
  3. 8
    A children's game where one player chases another. uncountable

    "Some children like to be caught when playing chase, and others do not."

  4. 9
    The part of a gun in front of the trunnions.
  5. 10
    A large country estate where game may be shot or hunted. British, countable, uncountable

    "Outside, the stately oaks, rooted for ages in the green ground which has never known ploughshare, but was still a chase when kings rode to battle with sword and shield and rode a-hunting with bow and arrow, bear witness to his greatness."

  6. 11
    The cavity of a mold.
  7. 12
    Anything being chased, especially a vessel in time of war. countable, uncountable
  8. 13
    A kind of joint by which an overlap joint is changed to a flush joint by means of a gradually deepening rabbet, as at the ends of clinker-built boats.
  9. 14
    A wild animal that is hunted. countable, obsolete, uncountable

    "As touching the Harte and such other light chases or beasts of Uenerie, the huntesmen on horsebacke may followe theyr houndes alwayes by the same wayes that they saw him passe ouer,"

  10. 15
    Any of the guns that fire directly ahead or astern; either a bow chase or stern chase. countable, uncountable
  11. 16
    The occurrence of a second bounce by the ball in certain areas of the court, giving the server the chance, later in the game, to "play off" the chase from the receiving end and possibly win the point. countable, uncountable
  12. 17
    A division of the floor of a gallery, marked by a figure or otherwise; the spot where a ball falls, and between which and the dedans the adversary must drive the ball in order to gain a point. countable, uncountable
  13. 18
    One or more riders who are ahead of the peloton and trying to join the race or stage leaders. countable, uncountable
  14. 19
    A series of brief improvised jazz solos by a number of musicians taking turns. countable, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To pursue.; To follow at speed. transitive
  2. 2
    To groove; indent. transitive
  3. 3
    cut a furrow into a column wordnet
  4. 4
    To pursue.; To hunt. transitive
  5. 5
    To place piping or wiring in a groove encased within a wall or floor, or in a hidden space encased by a wall. transitive

    "chase the pipe"

Show 12 more definitions
  1. 6
    cut a groove into wordnet
  2. 7
    To pursue.; To seek to attain. transitive

    "The team are chasing their first home win this season."

  3. 8
    To cut (the thread of a screw). transitive
  4. 9
    go after with the intent to catch wordnet
  5. 10
    To pursue.; To persistently pursue someone as a sexual or romantic partner. transitive

    "He spends all his free time chasing girls."

  6. 11
    To decorate (metal) by engraving or embossing. transitive
  7. 12
    pursue someone sexually or romantically wordnet
  8. 13
    To pursue.; To pursue a vessel in order to destroy, capture or interrogate her. transitive
  9. 14
    To consume another beverage immediately after drinking hard liquor, typically something better tasting or less harsh such as soda or beer; to use a drink as a chaser. transitive

    "I need something to chase this shot with."

  10. 15
    To attempt to win by scoring the required number of runs in the final innings. transitive

    "Australia will be chasing 217 for victory on the final day."

  11. 16
    To swing at a pitch outside of the strike zone, typically an outside pitch. transitive

    "Jones chases one out of the zone for strike two."

  12. 17
    To produce enough offense to cause the pitcher to be removed. transitive

    "The rally chased the starter."

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname transferred from the nickname from a Middle English nickname for a hunter. countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    A unisex given name transferred from the surname, of modern usage. countable, uncountable

    "“Chase Strangio is our nation’s leading legal expert on the rights of transgender people, bar none,” said Cecillia Wang, the ACLU’s legal director."

  3. 3
    A placename; A village and river in British Columbia, Canada. countable, uncountable
  4. 4
    A placename; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Madison County, Alabama. countable, uncountable
  5. 5
    A placename; A number of places in the United States:; A census-designated place in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska. countable, uncountable
Show 8 more definitions
  1. 6
    A placename; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Grant Township, Benton County, Indiana. countable, uncountable
  2. 7
    A placename; A number of places in the United States:; A city in Rice County, Kansas. countable, uncountable
  3. 8
    A placename; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Franklin Parish, Louisiana. countable, uncountable
  4. 9
    A placename; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland. countable, uncountable
  5. 10
    A placename; A number of places in the United States:; A township in Lake County, Michigan. countable, uncountable
  6. 11
    A placename; A number of places in the United States:; A census-designated place in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. countable, uncountable
  7. 12
    A placename; A number of places in the United States:; A town and unincorporated community in Oconto County, Wisconsin. countable, uncountable
  8. 13
    A placename; Ellipsis of Chase County. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable

Synonyms

All synonyms
pursuitaction sequenceaddressafforestationarboretumassemble

Antonyms

abandonachievementcalm momentcease

Example

"We all knew that Bob was on a wild-goose chase after Marge, because she was already happily engaged."

Common questions

What does "chase" mean?

The act of one who chases another; a pursuit.

What is a synonym for "chase"?

Common synonyms include: pursuit, action sequence, address, afforestation, arboretum, assemble.

How do you use "chase" in a sentence?

We all knew that Bob was on a wild-goose chase after Marge, because she was already happily engaged.

How do you pronounce "chase"?

Pronounced /t͡ʃeɪs/.

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English chacen, from Anglo-Norman chacer, Old French chacier, from Vulgar Latin *captiāre, from Latin captāre, frequentative of capere. Compare French chasser (“to hunt”, “to chase”), Spanish cazar (“to hunt”), Portuguese caçar (“to hunt”) , see Norwegian skysse (“to hunt”). Doublet of catch and related to capture. Displaced native Old English ōht, ēhtnes, and wāþ. Broadly overtook Old English huntaþ.

Etymology 2

Perhaps from French châsse (“case”, “reliquary”), from Old French chasse, from Latin capsa. Doublet of case, cash, and chasse.

Etymology 3

Possibly from obsolete French chas (“groove”, “enclosure”), from Old French, from Latin capsa (“box”). Or perhaps a shortening or derivative of enchase. Doublet of case, cash, and chasse.

More for "chase"

Synonyms

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