Word
quest
US/ˈkwɛst/
UK/kwˈɛst/
Definitions
01a long search or mission
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a long and difficult search for something, often something special or important.
n. a long or arduous search for something; often used to describe a heroic or ambitious mission.
日本語:探求※
Español:búsqueda
“The knight went on a dangerous quest to find the lost crown.”
“The scientist dedicated her entire career to the quest for a sustainable and cheap energy source that could replace fossil fuels.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'for'.
02to search for
C1 · Advanced Literary
v. to go on a journey or search for something important.
v. to search for or seek out a specific goal or object. Often used intransitively with 'for'.
日本語:探求する※
“The explorers continued to quest for the hidden city deep in the jungle.”
“In many classic myths, the hero must quest across distant lands to prove their worthiness before the gods.”
Usage
The verb is often intransitive and takes the preposition 'for'.
03a task in a game
B1 · Intermediate
n. a specific task or mission you must complete in a video game to get a reward.
n. a specific mission or objective within a role-playing game that a character must complete to advance the plot or earn rewards.
“I need to finish one more quest before I can level up my character.”
“The game features hundreds of side quests that allow players to explore the world's lore without following the main storyline.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “quest” in context.
Verb
01. abandon the quest
“After months of failure, the team was forced to abandon the quest for a cure.”
verb + noun
02. embark on a quest
“The protagonist decides to embark on a quest to find the lost city of gold.”
verb + prep + noun
03. pursue a quest for truth
“Philosophers have spent centuries pursuing a quest for truth and meaning.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adjective
04. a lifelong quest
“Her lifelong quest to document every rare bird species took her to the most remote corners of the globe.”
adj + noun
05. a noble quest
“They viewed the restoration of the ancient temple as a noble quest for the community.”
adj + noun
06. a relentless quest
“The company's relentless quest for innovation has made it a market leader.”
adj + noun
Preposition
07. in quest of knowledge
“Many young scholars travel abroad in quest of knowledge and cultural experience.”
prep + noun + prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“In his quest to save the birds he visits markets, buses and public spaces to spread the word: "I tell them that vulture is helpful to human life".” “Aviv compassionately chronicles her mother’s desperate quest to find her.” “But the quest is more dangerous than she anticipates, and will expose deadly secrets.” Etymology
From Middle English quest, queste; partly from Anglo-Norman queste, Old French queste (“acquisition, search, hunt”), and partly from their source, Latin quaesta (“tribute, tax, inquiry, search”), noun use of quaesita, the feminine past participle of quaerere (“to ask, seek”).
Blend of quiz + test, to avoid using the word test.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/quest
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0