seek

verb

sought ˈsȯt How to pronounce seek (audio) ; seeking
Synonyms of seeknext

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
In the twentieth century, international treaties and institutions sought to ban war …Lauren Benton

intransitive verb

1
: to make a search or inquiry
2
a
: to be sought
b
: to be lacking
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.
If trapped by moving water, seek the highest possible point and contact emergency services by calling 911. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Jan. 2026 For months Trump has been seeking the ouster of Maduro, and aligning the United States with opposition figures who contest the legitimacy of his presidency. Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026 According to the McHenry County state’s attorney’s office, Austin Silverman, 29, of Woodstock, approached a clerk at the station’s store and sought a job application, which was declined. Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026 Families who lost loved ones in the 2022 attack on an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, have sought for nearly four years to hold accountable the police who waited more than an hour to confront the shooter while children and teachers lay dead or wounded in classrooms. Jim Vertuno, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026 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

Cite this Entry

“Seek.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seek. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.

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

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