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chase

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noun

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as in prey
an animal that is hunted or killed the gazelle is a favorite chase of lions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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
Mikolas is working on purposely missing the strike zone — specifically in 0-2 and 1-2 counts — to generate more chase. Katie Woo, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025 Following the news that Lacy died of an apparent suicide after leading Houston-area police on a chase on Saturday, April 12, Nabers, 21, penned an emotional tribute to his late friend on social media. Natasha Dye, People.com, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chase
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chase
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
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
Verb
  • The weekend before his death, the teens went hunting with their father.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Sure, most of us say the superstitious phrase from time to time, and may even hunt for the closest wooden surface to lightly tap, but the star with a decades-spanning career performs the gesture quite often.
    Nick Romano, EW.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In the years since, the vehicles raced on tracks across the world have evolved.
    Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Ambulances, firetrucks and patrol vehicles from multiple law enforcement agencies raced toward the campus that sits just west of Florida’s state capital after the university issued an active shooter alert midday Thursday, saying police were responding near the student union.
    Kate Payne and David Fischer, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The research team used advanced 3D imaging technology to find the ancient ant had many features similar to modern dirt ants, including distinctive mandibles with 12 triangular teeth for catching prey.
    Doc Louallen, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Their larvae live in small holes in the turf and wait for their prey to walk by.
    Kevin Gepford, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Smith, who ran her own pet grooming business, devoted herself entirely to Piper’s pageant pursuits.
    Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The mind subconsciously shifts from pursuit to prevention.
    Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Heyman dismissed fans on social media who have failed to give Rollins his flowers, saying he’s seen pro wrestlers fail in the ring and seen praise on social media for them while others spout nonsense while ignoring historical facts.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 Apr. 2025
  • On March 4, the day the order to show cause was to be heard, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office dismissed the case.
    Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The Trump administration’s refusal to criticize Putin may well owe to its hopes to emulate him, much as Putin’s rehabilitation of Stalin’s legacy tracked with policies that duplicated the Soviet dictator’s.
    Garry Kasparov, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
  • And for those of us who’ve tracked the snack wrap moment from the first wave of comments to the official return, that’s the story: how a wrap turned into a movement, a meme, and now—finally—a menu item again.
    Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Chase.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chase. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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