sought: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2neutral to formal; common in written and spoken English.
Quick answer
What does “sought” mean?
the past tense and past participle of 'seek': attempted to find or obtain something.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
the past tense and past participle of 'seek': attempted to find or obtain something.
to try to achieve something; to ask for something; to attempt to do something.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant meaning differences. 'Sought-after' is slightly more common in UK marketing/advertising.
Connotations
Neutral to formal in both. Slightly more common in UK legal/formal writing.
Frequency
Comparable frequency. US English may use 'looked for' more in casual speech.
Grammar
How to Use “sought” in a Sentence
sought + NP (object)sought + to-infinitivesought + NP + from/for/through/byVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sought” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She sought counsel from a solicitor.
- The team sought to improve their performance.
American English
- He sought legal advice from an attorney.
- The company sought to expand its market share.
adverb
British English
- This was a long-sought-for victory.
- He achieved his long-sought goal.
American English
- It was a much-sought-after solution.
- She received her long-sought promotion.
adjective
British English
- The post is highly sought after.
- These are much sought-after tickets.
American English
- That model is a highly sought-after vehicle.
- He's a sought-after speaker on the circuit.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Investors sought higher returns in emerging markets.
Academic
The researcher sought to prove the hypothesis through experimentation.
Everyday
I sought a second opinion before making the decision.
Technical
The algorithm sought optimal parameters through iterative testing.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sought”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sought”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sought”
- *I have seeked help (correct: sought).
- *They sought for the answer (often redundant 'for').
- *He is seeking and finally sought it (awkward tense shift).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but often in more purposeful contexts. 'Looked for' is more common for everyday searches.
No, 'sought' is only past tense or past participle. The present is 'seek' or 'seeks'.
Usually redundant. 'Sought help' is standard. 'Sought for' is occasionally used but often considered unnecessary.
'Sought' implies trying to find or obtain something specific. 'Searched' implies a more thorough, physical, or systematic looking.
the past tense and past participle of 'seek': attempted to find or obtain something.
Sought is usually neutral to formal; common in written and spoken english. in register.
Sought: in British English it is pronounced /sɔːt/, and in American English it is pronounced /sɔːt/ or /sɑːt/ (in cot-caught merged accents). Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “sought-after (adjective)”
- “much sought after”
- “sought in vain”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
SOUGHT sounds like 'saw it' but with a 't' – you 'saw' and then 'sought' (looked for) something better.
Conceptual Metaphor
SEEKING IS A JOURNEY (embarked on a search, path to discovery), SEEKING IS HUNTING (tracked down, pursued).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'sought' correctly?