chase 1 of 2

verb

Definition of chasenext
1
as in to out
to drive or force out chased the cat out of the garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to pursue
to go after or on the track of a dog that likes to chase cars

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to hunt
to seek out (game) for food or sport owls often chase mice in the dark

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to race
to proceed or move quickly they chased all over the place to find the missing child

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

chase

2 of 2

noun

ˈchās How to pronounce chase (audio)
1
as in prey
an animal that is hunted or killed the gazelle is a favorite chase of lions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pursuit
the act of going after or in the tracks of another a high-speed car chase

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word chase distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of chase are follow, pursue, and trail. While all these words mean "to go after or on the track of something or someone," chase implies going swiftly after and trying to overtake something fleeing or running.

a dog chasing a cat

When could follow be used to replace chase?

The words follow and chase are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, follow puts less emphasis upon speed or intent to overtake.

friends followed me home in their car

When is it sensible to use pursue instead of chase?

While the synonyms pursue and chase are close in meaning, pursue suggests a continuing effort to overtake, reach, or attain.

pursued the criminal through narrow streets

When can trail be used instead of chase?

The synonyms trail and chase are sometimes interchangeable, but trail may stress a following of tracks or traces rather than a visible object.

trail deer
trailed a suspect across the country

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 chase
Verb
Bartlett ran up his pitch count and chased him after four innings. — Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025 The track arrives alongside a video, directed by Eli Schmitt, in which the band members get chased by a dog, tumble into the Chicago River, and more. — Eric Torres, Pitchfork, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
In the meantime, Fudd and the Huskies remain focused on this year’s title chase with No. 2-seed UConn set to face No. 3-seed Oklahoma in a Sweet 16 game on Saturday. — Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 25 Mar. 2025 The car crashed into an SUV uninvolved with the chase, killing a passenger in the SUV and injuring both drivers. — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chase
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chase
  1. out
  2. pursue
  3. hunt
  4. race
  5. prey
  6. pursuit
  7. dismiss
  8. track
Verb
  • The Gators and Clayton somehow overcame Houston’s lock-down intensity Monday night to will out a 65-63 victory in an NCAA title-game thriller decided when the Florida senior’s own defense stopped the Cougars from even taking a winning shot at the buzzer.
    — Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The Gators and Clayton somehow overcame Houston’s lockdown intensity, along with a 12-point deficit Monday night to will out a 65-63 victory in an NCAA title-game thriller decided when the Florida senior’s own D stopped the Cougars from even taking a game-winning shot at the buzzer.
    — Eddie Pells, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of out
Verb
  • But the Trump administration has repeatedly criticized foreign aid as wasteful and accused agencies like USAID of pursuing political agendas.
    — Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Adams insisted the case was politically motivated and was pursued in retaliation for his criticism of President Joe Biden's immigration policies.
    — Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of pursue
Verb
  • The Padres will hunt for the three-game sweep on Sunday afternoon.
    — Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2025
  • These weapons reached the zenith of their design and use between the 17th and 18th centuries and were primarily designed for hunting wild boar.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 12 Apr. 2025
Definition of hunt
Verb
  • Lamar Jackson’s drive to win the battle of the famous No. 8s is racing on.
    — Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The 14-odd members of the McCallister family raced through Terminal 3 before miraculously hopping aboard their American Airlines flight at gate K-12.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of race
Noun
  • Despite its tiny size, the Etruscan shrew is a fierce and fast hunter, relying on speed and agility to catch its prey.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The carnivorous species can hunt both from the trees and the ground, catching prey with 2-inch teeth, which are very long relative to their body size, the San Diego Zoo says.
    — Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of prey
Noun
  • The mind subconsciously shifts from pursuit to prevention.
    — Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Smith, who ran her own pet grooming business, devoted herself entirely to Piper’s pageant pursuits.
    — Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of pursuit
Verb
  • At the end of the trial, the judge dismissed the anti-stalking petitions, holding that Herzfeld’s activities were all constitutionally protected under the First Amendment and that there had been no act of stalking.
    — Steven Lieberman, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Male police officers often dismissed these types of cases as private family matters, leaving women and children without much legal protection from their abusive husbands and fathers.
    — Peter Zablocki, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of dismiss
Verb
  • From there, New York City sleuths tracked the cord brand to a local wholesaler, who had records of selling a quantity of it to a Manhattan upholsterer the day before the murder.
    — Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Guido Vianello Fight Card Results Microsoft Warns 240 Million Windows Users—Stop Using Your PC ‘NYT Mini’ Clues And Answers For Saturday, April 5 Price-Fundamentals Gap JPMorgan analysts have been tracking Tesla’s price-fundamentals gap for over a decade.
    — Hersh Shefrin, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of track

Phrases Containing chase

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chary
chase
chased
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Cite this Entry

“Chase.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chase. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on chase

Nglish: Translation of chase for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chase

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