Meaning & use
seeks
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“seeks” is a form of “seek”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Third person singular of seek: looks for something or someone, or tries to get or find something.
Grammar: Takes an object: the company seeks a new manager.
Patterns
- seeks something
- seeks someone
- seeks to do something
The company seeks a new manager to lead the sales team.
She seeks advice from her older sister whenever she has a problem.
The museum seeks funding for its new gallery.
verbtransitiveformal
Third person singular of seek: tries or intends to do something.
Grammar: Followed by to and a verb: he seeks to improve.
Patterns
- seeks to do something
The new law seeks to protect small farmers.
The report seeks to explain why prices have risen.
He seeks to prove that the old theory was wrong.
Word forms
| base form | seek |
|---|---|
| third person singular | seeks |
| past tense | sought |
| -ing form | seeking |
Common combinations
- seeks advice
- He seeks advice before every big decision.
- seeks employment
- She seeks employment in the health field.
- seeks asylum
- A person who seeks asylum must apply at a border office.
- seeks to improve
- The program seeks to improve literacy.
- seeks help
- The patient seeks help early.
Synonyms and how they differ
- looks for
- Looks for is the everyday phrase and sounds more casual than seeks.
- pursues
- Pursues suggests chasing something actively and with determination, while seeks may be quieter.
- requests
- Requests means asking someone for something, but seeks can also mean searching with no one in particular asked.
- aims
- Aims is followed by to and focuses on the goal, similar to the second sense of seeks to.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: seeks or seeks vs. seeps?
seeks vs seeks vs. seeps
Seeps means flows slowly through a small opening, as liquid does; seeks means searches for.
Practice
The charity ___ volunteers to help at the weekend event.
Choose one answer.
The subject the charity is singular, so the present tense needs seeks. Seek would be used with plural subjects and sought is past tense.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “seeks”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.