hot pursuit

noun

: close and avid or intense pursuit

specifically : close continuous pursuit of a fleeing suspected lawbreaker or hostile military force especially across territorial lines

Examples of hot pursuit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But whether the United States could invoke hot pursuit to chase militants into Syria is a different question altogether. —Lionel Beehner, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2014

Suddenly, the teen sped up and officers began a hot pursuit onto Interstate 95 from Hallandale Beach Boulevard with lights flashing and sirens blaring. —Omar Rodríguez Ortiz, Miami Herald, 15 May 2024

After nearly seven minutes of hot pursuit, the subway crashes, the thug exits and Doyle, following on foot, corners him on the stairs. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2023

In hot pursuit, going after individuals that he’s invited into this country? —Dallas News, 8 Dec. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1743, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

hot pursuit

noun

hot pur·​suit

: the immediate and continuous pursuit by police officers of a fleeing suspect whose possible escape justifies the failure of the officers to obtain a warrant before making an entry, search, seizure, or arrest