seek

verb

ˈsēk How to pronounce seek (audio)
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
governments … seek to keep the bulk of their people contented— D. M. Potter

intransitive verb

1
: to make a search or inquiry
2
a
: to be sought
b
: to be lacking
in critical judgment … they were sadly to seek— The Times Literary Supplement (London)
seeker noun

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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.
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.
Talk with a healthcare provider about a plan to quit smoking and consider seeking guidance from a local or online support group. 12. — Carrie Madormo, Rn, Mph, Verywell Health, 18 Mar. 2025 In February, Greenpeace International filed its own claim against Energy Transfer in a Dutch court using the European Union’s anti-SLAPP legislation, seeking to recover the damages and costs the organization has incurred as a result of the company’s lawsuits. — Laura Paddison, CNN, 18 Mar. 2025 While the scheduling move to Fridays could bring in a few more people to sample the show, viewers seeking it out and binging the existing episodes on Peacock in large numbers would save it from cancellation. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2025 Expanding Into a New Demographic Reaching a customer segment that wouldn’t typically seek your services requires careful positioning and outreach. — Adam Povlitz, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 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

Phrases Containing seek

Rhymes for seek

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Browse Nearby Words

seek
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Cite this Entry

“Seek.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seek. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

seek

verb
ˈsēk How to pronounce seek (audio)
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

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Nglish: Translation of seek for Spanish Speakers

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