1
as in tracking
the act of going after or in the tracks of another the cat ran down the street with a pair of dogs in pursuit

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in hobby
an activity outside of one's regular occupation that is engaged in primarily for pleasure a workaholic with few pursuits outside of the office

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun pursuit differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of pursuit are business, calling, employment, métier, occupation, and work. While all these words mean "a specific sustained activity engaged in especially in earning one's living," pursuit suggests a trade, profession, or avocation followed with zeal or steady interest.

her family considered medicine the only proper pursuit

When is business a more appropriate choice than pursuit?

While in some cases nearly identical to pursuit, business suggests activity in commerce or the management of money and affairs.

the business of managing a hotel

When might calling be a better fit than pursuit?

The meanings of calling and pursuit largely overlap; however, calling applies to an occupation viewed as a vocation or profession.

the ministry seemed my true calling

When is it sensible to use employment instead of pursuit?

The words employment and pursuit can be used in similar contexts, but employment implies work for which one has been engaged and is being paid by an employer.

your employment with this firm is hereby terminated

When would métier be a good substitute for pursuit?

The synonyms métier and pursuit are sometimes interchangeable, but métier implies a calling or pursuit for which one believes oneself to be especially fitted.

acting was my one and only métier

In what contexts can occupation take the place of pursuit?

While the synonyms occupation and pursuit are close in meaning, occupation implies work in which one engages regularly especially as a result of training.

his occupation as a trained auto mechanic

When can work be used instead of pursuit?

Although the words work and pursuit have much in common, work may apply to any purposeful activity whether remunerative or not.

her work as a hospital volunteer

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pursuit Chad Helms, police chief in Crystal City, Mo., said a shooting suspect was hospitalized and two of his officers were unharmed after a shootout between the man and authorities that followed a pursuit that started in Festus. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 14 Dec. 2024 This fantastical rom-com centers on a bishop (David Niven) who prays for help in his pursuit to build a new cathedral. Kevin Jacobsen, EW.com, 13 Dec. 2024 They both were shot by police in a construction zone after being blocked by a cement truck following the pursuit. Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024 Karoline is pregnant, thanks to a momentary pursuit of pleasure, and that predicament has resulted in the loss of her job at a textile factory. Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pursuit 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pursuit
Noun
  • The week concludes on Friday with the release of the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, a key measure of inflation tracking changes in consumer spending on goods and services.
    Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 15 Dec. 2024
  • This smartwatch, which is $50 off, includes features like GPS, activity tracking, health insights, and more.
    Maggie Horton, People.com, 15 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Overlanding and off-roading are no longer hobbies of extreme thrill seekers with more Americans traversing local trails and taking their pricey sport utility vehicles and trucks with them.
    Morgan Korn, ABC News, 8 Dec. 2024
  • As if grandstanding on anti-trans legislation in Congress wasn’t enough, South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace has a new hobby: saying the t-slur, often, and preferably in front of a camera.
    Samantha Riedel, Them, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Owners of herds where cattle have tested positive for the bird flu virus will also have to provide epidemiological information that allows for contact tracing and disease surveillance.
    Siladitya Ray, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Positive tests must be reported to the USDA and herd owners must provide basic information to allow tracing of the disease in cattle, the order says.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Different scorecards are a part of combat sports, but Vazquez’s card was egregiously off base.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
  • This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports.
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 8 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • The recreation area covers some 8,800 acres, incorporating the reservoir itself and the surrounding landscape.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
  • The period recreation is impeccable, and the many music performance sequences could not be more transporting, benefiting enormously from lead actors doing their own singing with estimable polish.
    David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • What began as an avocation turned into a serious occupation, as Fox Solomon turned to documenting the remnants of segregation visible in Chattanooga and across the South.
    Christina Cacouris, The New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2024
  • Dramatically groaning and moaning about the heat in the summer is my avocation.
    Sherry Kuehl, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2024
Noun
  • The Arizona Department of Public Safety participated in a chase until the vehicle rolled over.
    Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 16 Dec. 2024
  • In the box score, the Cincinnati Bengals’ 37-27 victory against the Tennessee Titans will look like a largely irrelevant game between two teams no longer a real factor in the playoff chase (though the Bengals are holding on to the slimmest of hopes).
    Paul Dehner Jr., The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Their hope was to make guests feel an unadulterated sense of amusement while immersed in a warm and welcoming space.
    Sydney Gore, Architectural Digest, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Any release of tension is amazing — try to embrace the Sagittarius energy by having some amusement.
    Lisa Stardust, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near pursuit

Cite this Entry

“Pursuit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pursuit. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on pursuit

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