English Reference
Verb

sought

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈsɔt/ UK /sˈɔːt/ sought

v.the past form of 'seek'. It means you looked for something or tried to get something.

v.the past tense and past participle of 'seek'. It describes the act of searching for, requesting, or attempting to obtain something.


SIMPLE

She sought advice from her teacher after the lesson.

CONTEXTUAL

The company sought a legal expert to help them understand the new international trade laws.

COMPLEX

Having exhausted all local resources, the refugees sought asylum in a neighboring country that promised safety and economic stability.

Usage

The verb is transitive and often takes an abstract noun as its object, such as 'help', 'advice', or 'refuge', rather than physical objects.

Pitfall
He seeked for a new jobHe sought a new job

The verb is irregular; the past form is 'sought', not 'seeked'.

Usage sought support · sought to promote · sought to turn

This is not the first time that the US president has sought to end the exercises with South Korea.

Al Jazeera· 17 Aug 2026

He said gas stations were busy as people sought fuel for chain saws and vehicles.

The Guardian· 16 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated