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

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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 In the most part, IEEFA's Williams-Derry said oil companies have sought to stockpile cash reserves and pay down debt to improve their balance sheets. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026 The group sought to prove its point again Sunday by partnering with Nida Abu Baker, whose father was sentenced in 2009 for coleading a Texas charity that bankrolled terrorists. — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 9 Aug. 2026 The first of those events, in 2014, occurred in Nevada, when representatives of the Bureau of Land Management, sought to round up the Bundy’s livestock after an ongoing dispute over unpaid grazing fees. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 9 Aug. 2026 Lawmakers sought to oust Cleaver last year by dividing Kansas City into three Republican-leaning districts in the new congressional map. — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 9 Aug. 2026 The podcast ad business has sought to reassure marketers that people will hear their podcast commercials. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 9 Aug. 2026 In a joint statement on Sunday, the justice ministers of the UAE and Ireland ‌described ‌Kinahan as one ​of ​the most high-profile individuals sought for prosecution in connection with transnational organized crime. — CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026 In statements to the Tribune, both Regan and Johnson spokesperson Allison Novelo denied that the organization, which scored the highest during the 2024 award process, ever flouted the city’s bidding rules or sought favoritism. — Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026 Nine months later, a cyclist sought relief from the sun here on a 105-degree day after his bicycle broke down. — Logan Smith, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sought
  1. pursued
  2. requested
  3. tried
  4. attempted
Verb
  • Nazi Germany pursued a policy of Erfassung, total documentation of the population.
    — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • And this idea of the reds and the grays teaming up against the blues very much seems to be the strategy that's being pursued in Silicon Valley.
    — Tonya Mosley, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of pursued
Verb
  • Ahead of the conference, defense lawyers have also requested that Judge Carro address the arrangement for the media access for the trial, including whether the proceedings could be broadcast live.
    — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Omar also requested information from McCarthy about any other official events or Minnesota leaders HSI agents may have observed this year.
    — Nicholas Lentz, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of requested
Verb
  • Governments, business leaders, and economists have tried to estimate which occupations will disappear, which new ones will emerge, and what skills people will need to remain competitive.
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • All three candidates tried to paint themselves as the most conservative candidate in the race.
    — Caroline Linton, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of tried
Verb
  • The victim's wife spotted them on their home security system and attempted to call him, but the phone was in the suspects' possession.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Glasner said the Innocence Project spent years conducting its own investigation before filing the petition and first attempted to work with the district attorney’s office rather than immediately seek relief in court.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of attempted

Browse Nearby Words

soughs
sought
sought (out)
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Cite this Entry

“Sought.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sought. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sought

Nglish: Translation of sought for Spanish Speakers

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