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 Khanal said the government has sought specialized support from Nepal's neighbors in tunnel rescue, survivor-detection technology, rapid forensic and DNA analysis, as well as morgue refrigerators. — Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026 Khanal said the government has sought specialized support from Nepal’s neighbors in tunnel rescue, survivor-detection technology, rapid forensic and DNA analysis, as well as morgue refrigerators. — Victoria Milko, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 The fiscal year 2026 budget proposal even sought to cancel the Roman space telescope. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 30 Aug. 2026 Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman said 237 people had been rescued alive, while seven people had died and 23 people were still being sought. — Reuters, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026 In the town of Galchhi, a group of residents sought higher ground on a nearby bridge and watched as the river roared by. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 The city of Norman sought new funding from the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office to continue A Better Way, a project intended as an alternative to panhandling. — Jake Ramsey, Oklahoma Watch, 30 Aug. 2026 The family fracture began when Baker and Emily sought an audit of millions of dollars that had flowed unauthorized from their accounts into businesses connected to Baker’s father and brother. — Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026 The city also sought to make 16th Street more functional and appealing for pedestrians. — Logan Smith, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sought
  1. pursued
  2. requested
  3. tried
  4. attempted
Verb
  • Ukraine, for its part, has pursued long-range drone strikes on Russian oil refineries and logistics hubs, seeking to raise the cost of the war for Moscow and test President Vladimir Putin's resolve after more than four-and-a-half years of conflict.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
  • That’s on top of other improvements Kee has already pursued on his home or plans to do, both inside and out.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of pursued
Verb
  • Throughout the hourlong episode, the three-time Grammy winner spoke at length with fans in the audience, who requested their favorite songs and shared how Clarkson’s music helped them through challenging times.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The Conway Police Department has requested the Arkansas State Police's help in the investigation of a man who died while in its custody during the weekend.
    — Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of requested
Verb
  • Paul Robinson appeared in court along with former Penn State students, where preliminary hearings took place ahead of a Centre County judge ruling that Robinson and five former students would have their cases tried in county court.
    — Finch Walker, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The patients had all previously tried other therapies with little to no success and had mutations in RAS proteins, which can drive tumor growth.
    — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of tried
Verb
  • They are not intended to represent normal use and should not be attempted or replicated.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Robinson’s lawyers have attempted to undermine several of the exhibits offered by the prosecution, including questioning the accuracy of DNA and its ability to link suspects to crime weapons, which could be a key part of their argument in the trial.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 2 Sep. 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 4 Sep. 2026.

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