/pɚˈsud/
Say it backPursued is the past tense of pursue, meaning to chased or sought after with determined effort. It refers to following someone or something in order to catch or attain it, often implying ongoing or previously active pursuit. The term encompasses both literal tracking and metaphorical pursuit of goals, opportunities, or outcomes.
"She pursued a degree in engineering despite the challenges."
"The detective pursued the lead through several neighborhoods."
"He pursued his dreams with relentless dedication."
Standard pronunciation is US /pɚˈsuːd/, UK /pəˈsjuːd/, AU /pəˈsjuːd/. The root syllable has a reduced schwa in non-stressed position, and the stress is on the second syllable: /ˈsjuː/ or /ˈsuː/. The final /d/ is a clear, voiced stop. Think: puh-SOOD, with the long U as a /uː/ and the r-colored vowel in US; UK is more /əˈsjuːd/ with the /j/ after the s. An audio reference is available from standard dictionaries and Forvo: say “pursued” as two syllables after a light initial schwa, then glide into /uː/ and end with /d/. Practice by isolating the /s/ + yod /ɪu/ sequence in non-rhotic British accents where /r/ is not pronounced.
Common errors include flattening the vowel in the second syllable to /u/ as in ‘Sud’, producing /pɚˈsud/ instead of /pɚˈsuːd/; dropping the /j/ after s to produce /ˈsud/ or misplacing the stress as /pərˈsuːd/ (placing stress on the first syllable). Another frequent mistake is voicing the final /d/ as a /t/ in rapid speech; ensure the final /d/ is fully voiced and released. Correct by emphasizing the /suː/ sequence (glide /j/ in some accents), and maintain the two-syllable rhythm with primary stress on the second syllable. Listening to native examples and mimicking the length of /uː/ will help avoid these issues.
In US English, expect /pɚˈsuːd/, with rhotic rhoticity and a curled /r/ vowel in the first syllable. UK English uses /pəˈsjuːd/, with a non-rhotic /r/ and a distinct /j/ after s, yielding a /sjuː/ onset in the second syllable. Australian English tends toward /pəˈsjuːd/ with a longer, tenser vowel and similar /j/ glide; some Australians may display a weaker rhotic coloration. All varieties keep the second syllable stressed, final /d/ voice-voiced, but coast-to-coast vowel quality shifts—US rhotic, UK/AU non-rhotic-like inner vowel blend before the /d/.
The difficulty centers on the /ɚ/ versus /ə/ realization in the first syllable and the /juː/ sequence in the second, which requires a smooth y-glide from /s/ into /juː/. The combination of a reduced initial syllable followed by a longer high back rounded vowel can be tricky for non-native speakers, especially when maintaining the tense /uː/ and the final voiced /d/. The transition from /s/ to /juː/ and then to /d/ demands careful timing and mouth positioning; practicing with minimal pairs and listening slowly can help solidify the pattern.
A distinctive feature is the /juː/ sequence after /s/ in many accents, producing a light y-glide: /sjuː/ in the second syllable. This is often mispronounced as /suː/ without the /j/ sound, or as /sju/ with a shorter vowel. Ensure the /j/ is distinct enough, and that the vowel length in /uː/ is extended. Also watch for the correct primary stress on the second syllable: per-SUED, not PER-sued. Finally, ensure the final /d/ is clearly voiced; avoid a de-voiced or glottalized ending in careful speech.
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Pursued comes from the verb pursue, which traces to the Old French poursuivre, ultimately from Latin perseguire, meaning to chase to the end, to pursue. The Latin persequor originally combined per- (through, to the end) with sequor (to follow). In English, pursue appeared in the late Middle English period as pursue, denoting following or chasing someone or something in order to catch or obtain. By the 17th century, pursue carried connotations of persistent effort or legal action (as in punitively pursuing a case). The suffix -ed marks the simple past tense and past participle in modern English. The word’s semantic field expanded from literal chasing to broader metaphorical “pursuit” of goals, opportunities, or information, aligning with the rise of goal-directed actions in modern discourse. First known uses in English literature appear in the 14th- to 15th-century texts, with evolving spelling variants such as pursuede and pursue, before stabilizing in contemporary form pursued and its participle pursued.”,
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Words that rhyme with "pursued"
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