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 The pursuit ended when the driver collided with a parked car near the intersection of Carlson and Sandburg drives in Sacramento’s River Park neighborhood, Gamble said. — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Sinatra’s sense of hopelessness is relentless — there’s no meaning in his pursuit of the killer. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2026 And when women did achieve success, the industry could be quick to portray them as climbers who abandoned their country roots in pursuit of pop stardom. — Stephanie Vander Wel, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026 Also in fintech, Advent and Stripe dropped their pursuit of PayPal , sending PYPL down 15%. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pursuit

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pursuit

Noun

The new feature joins other functions available through teen accounts, including trip tracking, PIN verification and audio recording, according to Uber.

— Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
Within that, the specific element of the tracking data which makes batting so tough is the inconsistency of bounce, with a large number of deliveries either spitting (bouncing excessively) or scooting (bouncing far less than anticipated).

— Ben Jones Aug. 26, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of tracking

Noun

The global board game market has been on the upswing since 2020, when people looked for new entertainment and hobbies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

— Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2026
And aside from owning private jets and towering mansions, billionaires’ two favorite hobbies are buying stakes in professional sports leagues and pouring money into philanthropy.

— Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of hobby

Noun

But contact tracing has been especially difficult, with 60% to 70% of new cases detected among people who weren't already being monitored, meaning infected people can spread the virus before health workers know to follow them.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Conahan was arrested in February 1997, accused of raping Montgomery, strangling him and cutting off his genitals to eliminate DNA tracing.

— CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of tracing

Noun

Tennis phenom Naomi Osaka is known not just as one of the sport’s most skilled players, but as one of its most boundary-pushing style stars.

— Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
The two girls were falsely listed as recruits for the university’s crew team, even though neither ever participated in the sport.

— Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of sport

Noun

Those memories of Keegan chasing, Keegan scoring, Keegan leading 1970s Liverpool across England and Europe to trophy upon trophy were clattered by 2026 reports of his illness and death.

— Michael Walker, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Perhaps that is part of why eclipse chasing becomes so addictive.

— Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of chasing

Noun

Unlike tobacco, a static product with no real defensible qualities outside of recreation, consumer technology is ever evolving, and the lines between harmfully addictive and beneficial to society can be extremely blurry.

— Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026
The youth center has been a community staple for decades where children and teenagers turned for academic support and recreation.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of recreation

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

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“Pursuit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pursuit. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of pursuit

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