Have you ever written “persue” and wondered whether it should actually be “pursue”? You’re not alone. This spelling mistake is surprisingly common because the two forms look and sound similar. However, only one is correct in standard English.
The correct spelling is pursue. The spelling persue is incorrect. You should use pursue when you mean to chase someone or something, work toward a goal, continue an activity, or seek something you want to achieve.
Understanding the difference is simple once you recognize the spelling pattern. The word contains “pur” before “sue,” giving us p-u-r-s-u-e. Once you know that pattern, the common mistake becomes much easier to avoid.
Quick Answer: Persue or Pursue?
Pursue is the correct spelling. Persue is a misspelling and should not be used in standard English.
The verb pursue can mean to chase someone or something, work toward a goal, continue an activity, or seek a particular outcome.
| Spelling | Correct? | Meaning |
| Pursue | ✅ Correct | To chase, seek, follow, or work toward something |
| Persue | ❌ Incorrect | Common misspelling of “pursue” |
For example:
She decided to pursue a career in medicine.
Here, pursue means that she intends to work toward and develop that career.
Another example shows its physical meaning:
The police pursued the suspect through the narrow streets.
In this sentence, pursued means followed or chased.
So, if you’re wondering “persue or pursue?”, remember the answer: pursue.
What Does “Pursue” Mean?
Pursue is a verb with several related meanings. At its core, it describes the act of following, chasing, seeking, or working toward something.
The meaning depends on the context.
You might pursue a person, pursue a goal, pursue an education, pursue an opportunity, or pursue legal action. These uses look different on the surface, yet they share one basic idea: actively going after something.
Here are the main meanings of pursue:
- To chase or follow someone or something.
- To work toward achieving a goal.
- To seek or try to obtain something.
- To continue or engage in an activity.
- To take action to achieve a particular result.
For example:
The dog pursued the rabbit across the field.
Here, the meaning is physical. The dog is chasing the rabbit.
Now consider:
He pursued his dream of becoming a professional musician.
There is no physical chase. Instead, he is actively working toward a goal.
That distinction makes pursue such a useful word. It can describe both literal movement and determined effort.
Why Is “Persue” Incorrect?
The spelling persue is incorrect because it doesn’t represent the standard spelling of the English verb.
People often make this mistake because pursue has an unusual spelling. Its pronunciation doesn’t make every letter immediately obvious. When someone hears the word, they might naturally imagine the spelling persue.
The correct spelling is:
P-U-R-S-U-E
The incorrect version is:
P-E-R-S-U-E
The difference comes down to the vowel after the initial p.
Correct
pursue
Incorrect
persue
This is similar to other English spelling problems where pronunciation doesn’t perfectly reveal the written form. English contains many words whose spelling requires memorization rather than simple sound-to-letter conversion.
If you’re writing an email, essay, résumé, application, or professional document, always use pursue.
How Do You Spell “Pursue”?
The correct spelling is:
P-U-R-S-U-E
A useful way to remember it is to divide the word mentally:
pur + sue = pursue
The first part contains “pur”, not “per.”
You can also connect the word with other forms:
- Pursue
- Pursues
- Pursued
- Pursuing
Seeing the word in several forms can make its spelling easier to recognize.
For example:
I want to pursue my education.
She pursues challenging projects.
They pursued the opportunity last year.
He is pursuing a degree in engineering.
Notice that the spelling changes slightly when grammatical endings are added. The base word remains pursue.
How Do You Pronounce “Pursue”?
In American English, pursue is commonly pronounced approximately like:
per-SOO
The first syllable sounds similar to “per,” which partly explains why people sometimes spell the word persue.
However, pronunciation and spelling don’t always line up perfectly in English.
You may hear the word and think:
“per-SOO” → persue
But the written form is:
“pur-SUE” → pursue
That makes this a classic example of why listening carefully isn’t always enough to determine English spelling.
The safest approach is to remember the written form:
pursue = p-u-r-s-u-e
What Are the Different Meanings of “Pursue”?
One reason pursue appears frequently in English is that it works in several different situations.
Pursue Can Mean “Chase”
The most literal meaning involves following someone or something in an attempt to catch it.
The security guard pursued the thief down the hallway.
The fox pursued the rabbit through the woods.
In these examples, pursue describes physical movement.
The pursuer wants to catch or reach the person or thing ahead.
Pursue Can Mean “Work Toward a Goal”
This is one of the most common modern uses of the word.
She plans to pursue a career in law.
He is pursuing his goal of starting a business.
Here, nobody is physically running after anything. Instead, pursue suggests effort, commitment, and continued action.
You can pursue:
- A career
- A degree
- An education
- A dream
- A goal
- An ambition
- Success
- Happiness
- An opportunity
The word often gives the sentence a sense of deliberate effort.
Pursue Can Mean “Seek”
Pursue can also mean to actively seek something.
The company is pursuing new business opportunities.
The researchers pursued several possible explanations.
In these examples, the subjects are searching for something they want to obtain or understand.
Pursue Can Mean “Continue”
The word can also describe continuing with an activity, course of action, or interest.
She decided to pursue her interest in photography.
The committee pursued further discussions before making a decision.
The idea remains similar: you’re continuing to move toward something rather than abandoning it.
Pursue vs. Follow: What’s the Difference?
Pursue and follow can overlap, but they don’t always carry the same meaning.
Follow generally means going after someone or something. It doesn’t necessarily suggest determination or a specific objective.
Pursue, on the other hand, often suggests deliberate effort toward a target.
Compare these examples:
The child followed his mother into the store.
The detective pursued the suspect.
The first sentence simply describes movement. The second suggests an active attempt to catch or locate someone.
The difference becomes even clearer with goals:
She followed her interests.
She pursued her ambition to become a doctor.
Both sentences work, but pursued sounds more intentional and goal-oriented.
| Word | Main Idea | Example |
| Follow | Go after or move behind | The child followed his father. |
| Pursue | Actively chase or work toward something | She pursued her dream. |
Pursue vs. Chase: What’s the Difference?
Chase and pursue are close synonyms when discussing physical movement. However, their tone and range differ.
Chase usually sounds more direct and informal.
The dog chased the ball.
Pursue often sounds more formal or deliberate.
The officers pursued the vehicle.
The bigger difference appears when talking about abstract goals.
You can say:
She pursued a career in journalism.
But you wouldn’t normally say:
She chased a career in journalism.
Although chase can work metaphorically in some contexts, pursue is the more natural choice for careers, education, ambitions, and formal goals.
Common Phrases With “Pursue”
The word pursue frequently appears in certain expressions and combinations. Learning these phrases can help you use the verb naturally.
Pursue a Career
This means to work toward developing a particular profession.
After college, Maya decided to pursue a career in marketing.
Pursue a Degree
This means to study toward a particular academic qualification.
He moved to Boston to pursue a degree in engineering.
Pursue a Goal
This means to actively work toward achieving something.
Successful athletes often pursue ambitious goals.
Pursue a Dream
This means to make a serious effort to achieve something you’ve wanted for a long time.
She left her corporate job to pursue her dream of opening a bakery.
Pursue an Opportunity
This means to take action to obtain or develop an opportunity.
The company decided to pursue the new partnership.
Pursue Happiness
This means to actively seek a happier or more fulfilling life.
Many people pursue happiness through meaningful relationships and work.
Pursue Legal Action
This means to take formal legal steps regarding a dispute or problem.
The customer decided to pursue legal action after repeated attempts to resolve the issue.
Pursue Further Education
This means to continue studying after completing previous education.
She returned to college to pursue further education.
These phrases are useful in academic, professional, personal, and formal writing.
Pursue: Definition, Part of Speech, and Word Forms
Pursue functions primarily as a verb.
Its different forms allow you to use it across various tenses and sentence structures.
| Word Form | Usage | Example |
| Pursue | Base form | I want to pursue my goals. |
| Pursues | Present tense, third person singular | She pursues new opportunities. |
| Pursued | Past tense/past participle | He pursued his ambition. |
| Pursuing | Present participle/gerund | They are pursuing a new strategy. |
The spelling can become especially confusing with pursuing.
The correct spelling is:
pursuing
Not:
persuing
For example:
She is pursuing a master’s degree.
The spelling still begins with pur, just as the base word does.
Common Mistakes With “Pursue”
Spelling persue instead of pursue is the biggest mistake. However, a few other problems appear regularly.
Mistake: Writing “Persue”
Incorrect:
I want to persue a career in medicine.
Correct:
I want to pursue a career in medicine.
Mistake: Writing “Persued”
Incorrect:
He persued his dream despite several setbacks.
Correct:
He pursued his dream despite several setbacks.
The past tense uses pursued, not persued.
Mistake: Writing “Persuing”
Incorrect:
She is persuing a degree in psychology.
Correct:
She is pursuing a degree in psychology.
Remember the beginning:
pursue → pursuing
Mistake: Assuming Pronunciation Determines Spelling
Because pursue sounds somewhat like “per-SOO,” writers sometimes spell it as persue.
That’s understandable. Still, pronunciation isn’t a reliable spelling guide in every English word.
Examples of “Pursue” in Sentences
Seeing pursue in different contexts is one of the easiest ways to understand the word.
Career and Education
Daniel wants to pursue a career in software development.
She decided to pursue a master’s degree after completing her bachelor’s degree.
Many students pursue internships to gain practical experience.
Goals and Ambitions
He continued to pursue his goal despite several failures.
She pursued her ambition with patience and discipline.
You should pursue opportunities that align with your long-term goals.
Business
The company plans to pursue expansion into international markets.
The team pursued several potential partnerships.
The startup is pursuing investors for its next stage of growth.
Investigation
The detective pursued several leads during the investigation.
Researchers pursued a new explanation for the unexpected results.
Physical Chase
The officers pursued the vehicle for several miles.
The predator pursued its prey across the open field.
Personal Interests
After retirement, he began pursuing his interest in painting.
She pursued photography as a creative hobby.
These examples demonstrate why pursue has such a broad range of uses.
Is “Pursue” Formal or Informal?
Pursue works in both everyday and formal English. However, it often sounds more polished than simpler alternatives such as go after or chase.
For example, in a professional setting, you might write:
We intend to pursue new opportunities in the international market.
That sounds natural in business writing.
In casual conversation, you might instead say:
We’re going after some new opportunities.
Both sentences can communicate a similar idea. The choice depends on your audience and context.
Pursue works particularly well in:
- Academic writing
- Business communication
- Résumés
- Cover letters
- Professional emails
- Research papers
- Formal reports
- Legal writing
Pursue in Professional and Academic Writing
The word pursue appears frequently when people discuss education, careers, research, and professional development.
Consider this résumé-style sentence:
Pursued opportunities to improve customer retention and increase team efficiency.
Here, pursued communicates initiative. The person didn’t simply wait for opportunities. They actively looked for them.
Similarly:
I plan to pursue a master’s degree in data science.
This sentence clearly communicates an educational goal.
In professional writing, however, don’t use pursue merely to sound sophisticated. Choose it when the meaning actually involves actively seeking, chasing, or working toward something.
When Should You Use “Seek” Instead of “Pursue”?
Seek and pursue often overlap.
For example:
The company is seeking new investors.
The company is pursuing new investors.
Both can work, but the emphasis differs slightly.
Seek focuses more directly on looking for or trying to obtain something.
Pursue often emphasizes the continued effort involved in reaching the desired result.
| Word | Emphasis |
| Seek | Looking for or trying to obtain something |
| Pursue | Actively working toward or following something |
Neither word is automatically better. Context decides which one fits.
A Simple Way to Remember “Persue or Pursue”
If you frequently confuse these spellings, use one simple trick:
Remember: “PURsue starts with PUR.”
Think:
PUR + SUE = PURSUE
Don’t change the first part to PER.
You can also connect the word with its meaning:
When you pursue something, you go after it.
So when you go after your goals, you pursue them.
A quick memory sentence is:
“I pursue my goals.”
Repeat that sentence whenever the spelling slips your mind. It reinforces both the meaning and the correct spelling.
Persue or Pursue: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Persue | Pursue |
| Standard English word | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Correct spelling | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Part of speech | — | Verb |
| Can mean “chase” | — | ✅ Yes |
| Can mean “work toward” | — | ✅ Yes |
| Can describe career goals | — | ✅ Yes |
| Can describe education | — | ✅ Yes |
| Common spelling mistake | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
The distinction is straightforward: persue is incorrect, while pursue is correct.
A Real-World Case Study: Pursuing a Career
Imagine someone who has always wanted to become a teacher.
After finishing college, they volunteer at a local school. They complete additional training, apply for teaching positions, and eventually accept a job.
You could say:
She pursued a career in education.
Why does pursued work so well here?
Because the person didn’t simply have a career goal. She actively worked toward it.
That’s the central idea behind the word.
The same pattern works with education:
He pursued a degree in computer science.
And with business:
The company pursued an opportunity to enter a new market.
In each case, pursue communicates purposeful action.
Read More: Even Though vs Eventhough: Which Is Correct?
Key Facts About “Pursue”
Here are the most important points to remember:
- Pursue is the correct spelling.
- Persue is a misspelling.
- Pursue is a verb.
- It can mean to chase someone or something.
- It can mean to work toward a goal.
- It can mean to seek something actively.
- It can describe careers, degrees, dreams, opportunities, and ambitions.
- The past tense is pursued.
- The present participle is pursuing.
- The pronunciation can make the spelling confusing.
- Pur is the correct beginning of the word.
FAQs
1. Is it persue or pursue?
Pursue is the correct spelling. Persue is a common misspelling and isn’t considered a standard English word.
2. What does pursue mean?
Pursue means to chase, seek, follow, or work toward something. For example, you can pursue a career, dream, goal, or opportunity.
3. How do you spell pursue?
The correct spelling is P-U-R-S-U-E. A simple way to remember it is pur + sue.
4. Is “persued” correct?
No. The correct past-tense form is pursued. For example, “She pursued her dream despite several challenges.”
5. What is the difference between pursue and chase?
Pursue and chase can both mean to follow someone or something in an attempt to catch it. However, pursue can also describe working toward abstract goals, such as pursuing a career or pursuing an education.
Conclusion
When it comes to persue or pursue, pursue is the only correct spelling. Use it when you mean to chase, seek, or actively work toward something. You can pursue a career, pursue a degree, pursue a goal, or pursue an opportunity. Remember the spelling by breaking it into pur + sue. If you’re unsure, choose pursue, not persue.
