Students often pursue their teacher with questions.
Source: tatoeba (21390)
Pursue
/pəˈsjuː/
Synonyms for "pursue" (271 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (55)
Strong matches (81)
Noun(22 words)
Verb(16 words)
Adjective(1 words)
formal courting
Determiner(2 words)
more physical tracemost physical trace
Related words (135)
oppresspay attentionpay attention topay court topersecuteperseverepersistpersist inphilanderpracticepreyproceed withprosecuteprowl afterpurposequestquest afterraise the huntrestrictride
Show 50 more words
run afterrun downsearchsearch forsee toseekseek forseek outserenadeshadowshepherdsparkspecializespecialize insquirestalkstill huntstill-huntstring alongstrive forsudssueswainsweethearttackletagtag aftertag alongtailtailgatetaketake ontake out aftertake totake uptormenttracetracktrailtrail aftertread close upontry fortry to findundertakeusevictimizewagewoowork atwork for
Noun(35 words)
Verb(29 words)
Adjective(1 words)
selfish aims
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: act on, address, adhere to, angle concept, angle for.
- Sentence evidence is available for pursue, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "pursue".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "pursue"
Keep "pursue" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "pursue" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "pursue", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "pursue" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
13 entriesMore specific
8 entriescareer developmentfollow-uphigher educationhuntingindependent studyinvestigationresearch projecttracking
Collocations
6 entriespursuit of a degreepursuit of a goalpursuit of educationpursuit of excellencepursuit of justicepursuit of knowledge
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
5 entriessimilar
3 entriesSample sentences
17 total sentences available.
Some people pursue only pleasure.
Source: tatoeba (22297)
If I were in good health, I could pursue my studies.
Source: tatoeba (30859)
I plan to pursue a career in international finance.
Source: tatoeba (241415)
Showing 4 of 17 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "pursue"?
Closest matches include act on, address, adhere to, angle concept, angle for.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "pursue"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.