Thesaurus results for PURSUIT

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

pursuit

noun

pər-ˈsüt

Definition of pursuit

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

Relevance

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

Example 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 In fact, the pursuit of a truly American design style—one that turns away from imitation and toward exploration—has been a focus for architects since this country was founded. — Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 4 July 2026 Furthermore, current jobs, even if not ideal, can fund these personal pursuits, fostering a positive outlook that ultimately aids career progression. — Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026 During a weekend that celebrates life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, Wimbledon offers an American variation in the pursuit of Grand Slam glory. — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026 This report is part of NPR's America in Pursuit series, which includes stories from across the country that illustrate American life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. — NPR, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for pursuit

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pursuit

Noun

An index tracking semiconductor stocks has surged almost 88% since March, its best quarterly performance on record, according to FactSet data that goes back until to 1994.

— John Towfighi, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
To estimate how many parasitoid wasp species in the Costa Rican national park have evaded detection, the researchers took cues from infectious disease tracking.

— Elizabeth Anne Brown, Scientific American, 1 July 2026

Definition of tracking

Noun

Heigl said she's worked to cater the home to her hobbies throughout the years, including an art studio located in a standalone building on the property, as well as putting her extensive yarn collection on display in their home theater.

— Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
That’s what makes the difference between a hobby and a scalable, manufacturable, profitable product.

— John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of hobby

Noun

The funds would come from the Commodity Credit Corporation, a funding initiative through the federal agency, and would go toward tracing, surveying and trapping response programs for the next three years.

— Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 29 June 2026
Other response efforts have scaled up significantly since the start of the outbreak, officials said, but contact tracing continues to lag.

— Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 24 June 2026

Definition of tracing

Noun

Follow your favorite athletes on and off the field with PEOPLE’s free sports newsletter — sign up now!

— Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
But tomorrow — or a week from now — Ream hopes the team can celebrate the influence its World Cup run made on the sport and the country.

— Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026

Definition of sport

Noun

Ultimately, conviction over trend-chasing, demonstrated by Doechii, fosters authenticity and longevity.

— Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
In that grandest of country music traditions, the Disarmers’ songs were honest reflections of the blackout-chasing lives the members were living, but that changed when Shook got sober in 2019.

— Brad Sanders, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026

Definition of chasing

Noun

Residents raised concerns about heavy truck traffic, and negative impacts on property values, outdoor recreation spaces, trees and wildlife.

— Mars King, Twin Cities, 4 July 2026
But district officials plan to keep their promise to the state and residents to develop the property for recreation.

— Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 4 July 2026

Definition of recreation

Noun

England’s innings came unstuck immediately, Arshdeep Singh getting openers Phil Salt and Jos Buttler caught for ducks in the first over of the chase.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Fellow Belgians Jasper Philipsen and Tim Merlier lead the green jersey points chase.

— Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of chase

Noun

Unlike in fields where avocations have to replace callings, academic retirees go on to pen as many articles and books as decline permits.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 June 2026
As Sottile sees it, the dog-show economy thrives on dog lovers’ sense of avocation.

— Kelli María Korducki, HubSpot, 6 Feb. 2026

Definition of avocation

Browse Nearby Words

pursuing

pursuit

pursuits

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pursuit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pursuit. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of pursuit

noun

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on pursuit

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gambol

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes