seek

verb

sought ˈsȯt How to pronounce seek (audio) ; seeking

transitive verb

1
: to resort to : go to
2
a
: to go in search of : look for
b
: to try to discover
3
: to ask for : request
seeks advice
4
: to try to acquire or gain : aim at
seek fame
5
: to make an attempt : try
used with to and an infinitive
governments … seek to keep the bulk of their people contentedD. M. Potter

intransitive verb

1
: to make a search or inquiry
2
a
: to be sought
b
: to be lacking
in critical judgment … they were sadly to seekThe Times Literary Supplement (London)
seeker noun

Examples of seek in a Sentence

The office is seeking a salesperson. The prince is seeking a wife. Snakes seek the sun to warm their bodies. You should visit your doctor and seek his advice. You should seek medical help immediately if you experience any chest pain or shortness of breath. The church is seeking donations. He sought revenge for his son's murder. During the war, she sought asylum in Spain. They sought refuge in Canada. The company is seeking new ways to improve service.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Workers at the five-year-old warehouse in the city of Garner will vote through Friday to join or reject the upstart Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment, or CAUSE, which seeks to push Amazon for higher wages, longer breaks and more scheduling flexibility, among other things. Greg Bensinger, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025 The school district also has urged families to update their emergency contact information and their family plan and consider seeking assistance, if needed, from legal resources such as Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services and the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. Imani Cruzen, Twin Cities, 10 Feb. 2025 The news came via a Sweet Relief Fund in his name seeking to raise money for the singer’s ongoing care in which his daughter, Leah Hennessey, revealed the extent of her 75-year-old father’s health issues. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 10 Feb. 2025 David Johansen — the sole surviving founding member of the New York Dolls and a solo artist who also performs as the lounge singer Buster Poindexter — is suffering from stage four cancer, a brain tumor and a broken back, and is seeking financial assistance through the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 10 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for seek 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English seken, from Old English sēcan; akin to Old High German suohhen to seek, Latin sagus prophetic, Greek hēgeisthai to lead

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of seek was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near seek

Cite this Entry

“Seek.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seek. Accessed 14 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

seek

verb
sought ˈsȯt How to pronounce seek (audio) ; seeking
1
: to go to
seek the shade on a sunny day
2
a
: to go in search of : look for
seek out the guilty person
b
: to try to discover
seek the truth
3
: to ask for : request
seeks advice
4
: to try to acquire or gain : aim at
seeking public office
5
: to make an attempt : try
seek to find a way
sought to improve my work
seeker noun

More from Merriam-Webster on seek

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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