verb

seek

SEEK

verb

To try to find something.

"Police are seeking witnesses to the accident."

"She spent months seeking a publisher for her novel."

To try to obtain or achieve something.

"He is seeking a promotion this year."

To ask for something, such as advice or permission.

"You should seek legal advice before signing anything."

How to Use Seek

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo actively look for or try to get something.

When to use it

Seek is more formal than the everyday "look for" — common in written or professional English.

Common pairings

seek advice seek help seek employment seek permission

Word Forms

sought past tense, seeked past tense, seek plural, seeks plural, sought plural, Seeks plural, seeks singular, seek singular, sought singular, seekest singular, soughtest singular, seeketh singular

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Can you complete this real example?

Police are _____ witnesses to the accident.

Etymology

From Old English secan, "to seek, search for," from a Proto-Germanic root also found in Dutch zoeken and German suchen.

Rhymes for seek

eek week meek leek geek peek reek Zeek Greek cheek creek sleek

See all rhymes for seek →