sought

verb

Definition of soughtnext
past tense of seek
1
as in pursued
to go in search of Henry Hudson was set adrift by mutinous crewmen while seeking the Northwest Passage to the Pacific Ocean

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in requested
to make a request for came seeking financial advice

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in tried
to make an effort to do seek to find the best solution

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 sought Rescue operations were complicated, with police firing tear gas at people who had begun looting neighboring shops, as officers sought to clear the area and provide access to emergency response teams. — Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026 The policy sought to prevent the heavily subsidized vehicles from undercutting domestic production. — Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026 Trump’s lawyers had sought to postpone his testimony until January, arguing that his presidential duties required special accommodation. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026 Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador has also in recent years sought to restrict the use of mifepristone nationwide, the Statesman previously reported. — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026 His attorneys also sought arrest warrants in cases involving patients who missed court dates. — Kathleen Parker, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026 The show sought to expand norms of representation—a project whose sincerity all but courts the cringeworthy—with artists hell-bent on deconstructing the drive for beauty, including Orlan, Sara Cwynar, Juno Calypso, and Haley Morris-Cafiero. — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026 Bednar had sought a deal with at least one other bank earlier this year, although talks only progressed with Piper, some of the people said. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Others sought less costly ways to restore some control over nuclear deterrence. — Ivo H. Daalder, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sought
  1. pursued
  2. requested
  3. tried
  4. attempted
Verb
  • Those priorities overlap with issues Griffin and his investment firm have pursued in Tallahassee.
    — Luisa Yanez, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The company has pursued efforts to recreate extinct species, including the dodo and woolly mammoth.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of pursued
Verb
  • The Paris police requested the change because police and security resources are stretched thin due to mass protests, ongoing civil unrest, and France's first NFL game happening in the region, per multiple reports.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In 2013, Pérez requested permission to explore a part of the park for iron oxide.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of requested
Verb
  • Prosecutors had argued that Sierra initially tried to cover up the crimes but was ultimately linked to them through DNA evidence.
    — CBS Miami Team, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • In short, Kroger tried hard and was thwarted by the regulators.
    — Shubha Ghosh, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of tried
Verb
  • The Marshall and Hamilton campaigns and the outside groups spending big to influence the race have attempted to define the candidates for voters in vitriolic attack ads.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
  • In that Comedy Central show, Fielder played a would-be business consultant who attempted to help real business owners by proposing unorthodox solutions to market their services.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of attempted

Browse Nearby Words

soughs
sought
sought (out)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sought.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sought. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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