pursuit
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the act of chasing someone or something, often to catch them or reach a goal.
the act of following or chasing someone or something in order to catch, overtake, or acquire them.
Simple“The police were in hot pursuit of the stolen car through the city streets.”
In context“The documentary explores the relentless pursuit of scientific truth, even when the evidence contradicts long-held beliefs.”
UsageOften used in the phrase 'in pursuit of'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
an activity, such as a hobby or a job, that you spend a lot of time doing.
an activity, such as a hobby, interest, or profession, to which one devotes time and energy.
Simple“Gardening is a relaxing pursuit for many people during the summer.”
In context“The university encourages students to engage in various intellectual and athletic pursuits outside of their formal degree requirements.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
a type of race in track cycling where two riders or teams start on opposite sides and try to catch each other.
a track cycling event where opponents start at different points on the track and attempt to overtake one another.
Simple“The national team won a gold medal in the team pursuit event.”
In context“In the individual pursuit, the cyclist must maintain a precise pace to catch their opponent before the final lap.”
Usage pursuit training
“Canada has been in pursuit of a deal that would have the US drop or reduce tariffs on these key sectors.”
“The two relay successes took Britain's medal tally to 12 - including six golds - as the hosts remained in hot pursuit of table-topping Italy heading into the final day of competition.”
From Middle English pursuyte, from Old French poursuite, from the verb porsuir (“to pursue”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.