Looking for a better word than “chase”? The best alternative depends on which meaning of “chase” you need. You might use pursue, run after, follow, hunt, track, or seek, but each word carries a slightly different meaning and works in different contexts.
If you’re searching for synonyms for chase, you probably want more than a list—you want to know which alternatives actually fit your sentence, how their meanings differ, and whether they sound natural, formal, or more intense. That can be tricky because chase can mean physically trying to catch someone or something, following a trail, or figuratively pursuing a goal, opportunity, or desire.
For example, “The dog chased the ball” can become “The dog ran after the ball,” while “She is chasing her dream” may be better expressed as “She is pursuing her dream.” This guide covers useful synonyms for chase by meaning, context, tone, and intensity, with clear definitions, examples, and practical usage tips.
Pursue
Meaning:
To go after someone or something.
Examples:
The dog will pursue the cat.
He decided to pursue his dream.
Follow
Meaning:
To go behind someone.
Examples:
She followed her friend.
The car followed the bus.
Run After
Meaning:
To run behind someone or something.
Examples:
The child ran after the ball.
He ran after his dog.
Hunt
Meaning:
To search for something.
Examples:
The lion hunts its prey.
They hunt for treasure.
Track
Meaning:
To follow signs to find something.
Examples:
The police tracked the thief.
He tracked the animal.
Trail
Meaning:
To follow behind someone.
Examples:
The dog trailed its owner.
She trailed her friend.
Go After
Meaning:
To move toward something to catch it.
Examples:
He went after the ball.
She went after her dream.
Seek
Meaning:
To try to find something.
Examples:
He seeks help.
She seeks answers.
Search
Meaning:
To look carefully for something.
Examples:
They searched for the keys.
He searched the room.
Follow Closely
Meaning:
To stay very near someone.
Examples:
The car followed closely.
He followed closely behind.
Pursuit
Meaning:
The act of chasing something.
Examples:
The pursuit lasted hours.
He is in pursuit of success.
Chase After
Meaning:
To go quickly after something.
Examples:
The dog chased after the cat.
She chased after the bus.
Run Behind
Meaning:
To run after someone.
Examples:
He ran behind his friend.
She ran behind the car.
Hurry After
Meaning:
To move quickly to catch someone.
Examples:
He hurried after her.
She hurried after the train.
Rush After
Meaning:
To move fast toward something.
Examples:
He rushed after the thief.
She rushed after the child.
Go Behind
Meaning:
To move behind someone.
Examples:
He went behind his friend.
She went behind the group.
Shadow
Meaning:
To follow someone closely.
Examples:
The detective shadowed him.
He shadowed the leader.
Tail
Meaning:
To follow secretly.
Examples:
The police tailed the suspect.
He tailed the car.
Stalk
Meaning:
To follow quietly and carefully.
Examples:
The cat stalked the mouse.
He stalked his target.
Run Toward
Meaning:
To move quickly toward something.
Examples:
He ran toward the ball.
She ran toward her friend.
Sprint After
Meaning:
To run very fast after something.
Examples:
He sprinted after the bus.
She sprinted after the dog.
Dash After
Meaning:
To run quickly after something.
Examples:
He dashed after the ball.
She dashed after her child.
Race After
Meaning:
To run very fast to catch something.
Examples:
He raced after the car.
She raced after the train.
Charge After
Meaning:
To move quickly and strongly.
Examples:
The dog charged after the cat.
He charged after the thief.
Follow Up
Meaning:
To continue going after something.
Examples:
He followed up on the lead.
She followed up on the task.
Seek Out
Meaning:
To try hard to find something.
Examples:
He seeks out new ideas.
She seeks out help.
Look For
Meaning:
To try to find something.
Examples:
He looked for his keys.
She looked for her bag.
Go In Search Of
Meaning:
To try to find something.
Examples:
He went in search of food.
She went in search of help.
Track Down
Meaning:
To find after searching.
Examples:
The police tracked down the thief.
He tracked down his friend.
Run After Quickly
Meaning:
To chase fast.
Examples:
He ran after quickly.
She ran after quickly.
Rush Toward
Meaning:
To move fast toward something.
Examples:
He rushed toward the door.
She rushed toward help.
Move After
Meaning:
To go behind something.
Examples:
He moved after the group.
She moved after her friend.
Go Quickly After
Meaning:
To move fast behind something.
Examples:
He went quickly after the ball.
She went quickly after the bus.
Follow Fast
Meaning:
To follow quickly.
Examples:
He followed fast behind.
She followed fast after him.
Close In On
Meaning:
To get nearer to catch something.
Examples:
The police closed in on the thief.
He closed in on his goal.
Run Close Behind
Meaning:
To run near behind someone.
Examples:
He ran close behind his friend.
She ran close behind the car.
Push Toward
Meaning:
To move strongly toward something.
Examples:
He pushed toward the goal.
She pushed toward success.
Head Toward
Meaning:
To move in a direction.
Examples:
He headed toward the bus.
She headed toward home.
Move Toward
Meaning:
To go in the direction of something.
Examples:
He moved toward the ball.
She moved toward the door.
Go Fast After
Meaning:
To chase quickly.
Examples:
He went fast after the dog.
She went fast after her friend.
Rush Behind
Meaning:
To move quickly behind someone.
Examples:
He rushed behind the group.
She rushed behind him.
Follow Along
Meaning:
To go with someone.
Examples:
He followed along quietly.
She followed along the path.
Run After Fast
Meaning:
To run quickly after something.
Examples:
He ran after fast.
She ran after fast.
Go Right After
Meaning:
To chase immediately.
Examples:
He went right after the ball.
She went right after him.
Jump After
Meaning:
To move quickly after something.
Examples:
He jumped after the ball.
She jumped after her cat.
Move Fast After
Meaning:
To chase quickly.
Examples:
He moved fast after the dog.
She moved fast after the bus.
Run Straight After
Meaning:
To chase directly.
Examples:
He ran straight after the ball.
She ran straight after him.
Go Hard After
Meaning:
To chase with strong effort.
Examples:
He went hard after the goal.
She went hard after success.
Chase Down
Meaning:
To catch after chasing.
Examples:
He chased down the thief.
She chased down her dog.
Go After Quickly
Meaning:
To move fast to catch something.
Examples:
He went after quickly.
She went after quickly.
Conclusion
Learning synonyms for chase helps you use better and more interesting words. It makes your writing and speaking clearer and more fun.
Students can use these words in essays. Bloggers and writers can improve their content. You can also use them in daily conversations.
Practice these words often, and your English will become stronger every day.
I am Meer Hadi, a passionate language and content writer at SynonymLibrary.com. I focus on creating helpful word guides that make it easier for readers to choose the right words, understand meanings, and express their ideas more clearly. Through my work, I aim to support students, writers, and professionals in building stronger communication skills.
