Pursuit is a noun with a few related but distinctclearly different from each other; not the same meanings. It can mean a hobby or activity someone enjoys, the act of chasingrunning after a person or thing to catch them someone or something, or the efforthard work done to reach a goal to achieve or find something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /pər-SOOT/
Easy pronunciation: per-SOOT (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the second syllable.
Used in the sense of a hobby or pastime; noun.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pursuit Meaning
a hobby or pastime
Part of speech: noun
Definition: an activity that occupies your time or attention, often for enjoyment
Example: Painting has been her favorite pursuit for years.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- pastime — A natural substitute in this sense.
- interest — Works in some contexts, but is broader than pursuit.
- hobby — A common everyday synonym when the meaning is a leisure activity.
- avocation — Close in meaning, but more formal and less common.
- sideline — Can fit when the activity is secondary, but not always.
- spare-time activity — Describes the sense clearly, though it is more of a phrase than a direct synonym.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Pursuit
Meaning 2
a chase
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the act of chasing or following someone or something in order to catch it
Example: The police were in pursuit of the suspect.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- chase — The clearest synonym for this sense.
- following — Can work in this sense, though it is less exact than chase.
- pursual — A formal or rare word with the same general meaning.
Meaning 3
the effort to get or achieve something
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the effort to find, achieve, or obtain something
Example: She moved to the city in pursuit of a better job.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- pursuance — Formal and less common, but related to this sense.
- quest — Works well when the pursuit is a search or goal-driven effort.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pursuit Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- pastime
- hobby
a chase or act of following to catch someone or something
- chase
- following
- pursual
an effort to find, achieve, or obtain something
- pursuance
- quest
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using pursuit to mean only a hobby; it can also mean a chase or an effort toward a goal.
- Confusing pursuit with pursue, which is the verb form.
- Treating by-line as a synonym, when it has a different normal meaning.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does pursuit mean in simple English?
It usually means a hobby or activity, a chase, or the effort to achieve something.
What is a common synonym for pursuit?
For the hobby sense, common synonyms are pastime and hobby. For the chase sense, chase is the best synonym.
Is pursuit always a positive word?
No. It can be positive when it means a hobby or goal, but it can also simply mean chasing someone or something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
