- when intr, often followed by for or after: to try to find by searching; look for: to seek a solution
- (also intr) to try to obtain or acquire: to seek happiness
- to attempt (to do something); try: I'm only seeking to help
- (also intr) to enquire about or request (something): to seek help
- to go or resort to: to seek the garden for peace
- an archaic word for explore
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
seek /sik/USA pronunciation
v., sought/sɔt/USA pronunciation seek•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to go in search of: [~ (+ out) + object]to seek (out) a new life.[~ + object (+ out)]to seek her (out), wherever she was.
- to try to discover, as by studying:[~ + object]to seek the secrets of the universe.
- to try to obtain:[~ + object]to seek advice from your attorney.
- to try or attempt:[~ + to + verb]sought to convince the queen to finance his expedition.
seek
(sēk),USA pronunciation v., sought, seek•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
v.t.
- to go in search or quest of:to seek the truth.
- to try to find or discover by searching or questioning:to seek the solution to a problem.
- to try to obtain:to seek fame.
- to try or attempt (usually fol. by an infinitive):to seek to convince a person.
- to go to:to seek a place to rest.
- to ask for;
request:to seek advice. - [Archaic.]to search or explore.
v.i.
- to make inquiry.
- be sought after, to be desired or in demand:Graduates in the physical sciences are most sought after by employers these days.
- bef. 900; Middle English seken, Old English sēcan; cognate with German suchen, Old Norse sœkja, Gothic sōkjan; akin to Latin sāgīre to perceive by scent (see presage, sagacity); compare beseech
- 3. pursue, follow.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
seek /siːk/ vb (seeks, seeking, sought) (mainly tr)
'seek' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
acquire
- beseech
- Black Muslims
- blandish
- bootlick
- camp
- canasta
- coax
- compete
- conquer
- conquest
- dictate
- dispute
- disquisition
- eh
- excuse
- exquisite
- fault
- fawn
- fish
- get at
- go for
- harbour
- hey
- hide-and-seek
- hunt
- impetus
- inquire
- inquisition
- look
- muckrake
- office
- perquisite
- -petal
- petition
- Pheidippides
- pressure group
- prosecute
- pursue
- query
- quest
- question
- ransack
- raven
- reason
- redress
- refer
- relief
- repeat
- request