pursuit

noun

pur·​suit pər-ˈsüt How to pronounce pursuit (audio)
-ˈsyüt
1
: the act of pursuing
2
: an activity that one engages in as a vocation, profession, or avocation : occupation
Choose the Right Synonym for pursuit

work, employment, occupation, calling, pursuit, métier, business mean a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living.

work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not.

her work as a hospital volunteer

employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer.

your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession.

the ministry seemed my true calling

pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest.

her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.

acting was my one and only métier

business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs.

the business of managing a hotel

Examples of pursuit in a Sentence

The hounds were running in the woods in pursuit of a fox. She enjoys reading, knitting, and other quiet pursuits.
Recent Examples on the Web The penalty also marks an escalation in the French government’s pursuit to get Big Tech to deal with publishers more fairly and yet another fine for Google—the company was fined €500 million in 2021 for abuses surrounding news publishers. Sage Lazzaro, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024 Taken together, economic performance has not shaken the Fed's steadfast pursuit of lowering inflation down to its goal of 2%, Powell told federal lawmakers last week. Max Zahn, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2024 The brand, which holds 53% of the chocolate chip cookie market share, tested more than 60 recipes in their pursuit of a superior cookie and totaled over 5,000 hours of cookie testing. Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 20 Mar. 2024 Due to safety issues,the police ended their pursuit, Mather said. Cameron MacDonald, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 Having checked in here and with literary pursuits top of mind, take the five-minute stroll to Trinity University, a walled enclave founded in the 16th century. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024 After the cofounders’ three-year contracts expired on Halloween 2009, Huffman and Ohanian left for new pursuits. Paresh Dave, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2024 But in its pursuit, Russia has so far failed to capture Ukrainian capital Kyiv or take control of its government. Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 The pursuit of living longer–also known as longevity–has become a key focus in wellness communities. Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pursuit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French pursute, from pursure

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pursuit was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near pursuit

Cite this Entry

“Pursuit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pursuit. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pursuit

noun
pur·​suit pər-ˈsüt How to pronounce pursuit (audio)
1
: the act of pursuing
2
: an activity done especially for pleasure

More from Merriam-Webster on pursuit

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