seeks - Master This Word
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seeks Word Meanings
- to look for something or someone
- to try to obtain or achieve something
- to request or ask for help
seeks Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
seeks Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/siːk/
US
/siːk/
seeks Word Etymology
seek = sēcan = to go to, to find; Origin: Old English → Middle English → Modern English. Imagine a person on a quest, navigating through dense forests and mountains, representing the journey one undertakes to find something valuable.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I lift my eyes and move them across the room, turning toward the shelves. I push back the ache of time and hold my attention steady as I shift from one clue to another. Keeping the pace, I adjust my aim, keep scanning, and let the scene answer me. When something in me says it’s there, I stop, not because I found a rule, but because I’ve inched closer to what I’m seeking.
Real Context
Seek is a versatile verb that covers physical searching, striving for goals, and asking for assistance. It often implies effort, intention, and a process rather than a quick glance. You seek something tangible, like a missing key, or intangible, like happiness or a better position. You seek to obtain information, permission, or approval, often with some persistence. In formal contexts, seek is common in job postings and policy language (seeking applicants, seeking approval). It contrasts with more casual look for or try to get, and can carry an old fashioned or formal tone. Use seek with to before a verb or with for after a noun you want to obtain, and with from when asking someone for aid.
Usage Reminders
- - Use seek with to before a verb or with for before a noun.\
- - Do not say seek for; it is usually incorrect.\
- - Distinguish seek from look for when talking about process or goal.\
- - Seek often sounds formal; use in job ads or policy language.\
- - Pair seek with advice, information, permission, or a goal to show intentional effort.
Common Misconceptions
- Seek means only physical searching; it can also mean pursuing goals or requesting help.
- Look for and seek are interchangeable in all contexts.
- Seek can be used with for; this is common but often incorrect.
- Seek always sounds old fashioned or formal.
- Seek is only used with negative actions or desperate situations.
Thinking Differences
Seek is formal and implies an active pursuit or request; learners should note its compatibility with to and with, and how it differs from look for in casual search scenarios.
Learning Tips
- Use seek with to before a verb to show purpose (seek to understand).
- Reserve seek for formal contexts like ads, policy language, or formal requests.
- Know that seek can pair with information, advice, permission, or a goal.
- Differentiate seek from look for; use look for for casual physical searching.
- Remember common collocations: seek advice, seek information, seek opportunities.
- Avoid mixing with seek for; prefer seek to or seek about the object.
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