chase implies going swiftly after and trying to overtake something fleeing or running.
a dog chasing a cat
pursue suggests a continuing effort to overtake, reach, or attain.
pursued the criminal through narrow streets
follow puts less emphasis upon speed or intent to overtake.
friends followed me home in their car
trail may stress a following of tracks or traces rather than a visible object.
trail deer
trailed a suspect across the country
Example Sentences
It is this peace among the Great Powers—at least for the near term—that makes it truly possible both to pursue my vision of the post-Cold War world and, at the same time, to hedge against failure by maintaining the capacity to protect ourselves and our interests … Robert S. McNamara, In Retrospect, 1995The monster truck pursued him at insane speeds, through phone booths and gas pumps and even over cliffs, but he never knew why. Hunter S. Thompson, Rolling Stone, 14-28 July 1994In a world of nation-states the assumption that governments will pursue their own interests gives order and predictability to international affairs. Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., American Heritage, 3 May/June 1994 Hounds pursued the fox for miles. The criminal is being pursued by police. He chose to pursue a college degree. She wants to pursue a legal career. See More
Recent Examples on the WebSince the case was not deemed a federal crime, the Bureau chose not to pursue it. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2022 His friends would take note of his new hobby — including Colorado's first Black Lt. Gov. George Brown, who saw Dwight's work and encouraged him to pursue it seriously.CBS News, 1 Sep. 2022 The latter, of course, exposed hardline members of the Right eager to pursue a massive military buildup as protection against the Soviets, as equally dense. John Tamny, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 Alternatively, ekev can mean to pursue, as in running on one’s heels to attain a certain goal. Rabbi Avi Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2022 The driver subsequently fled at a high rate of speed on Wilson Mills Road and officers did not pursue it.cleveland, 11 Aug. 2022 Just five years later, the New York guitarist Jonny Lam decided to pursue pedal steel as a way to differentiate himself in a city with a glut of guitarists.New York Times, 3 Aug. 2022 But, for instance, if a defensive back isn’t six-foot and has thirty-three-inch arms, Saban isn’t going to pursue him heavily. John Talty | Jtalty@al.com, al, 1 Aug. 2022 Chiuz, a 27-year-old videographer from North Hills, had decided to pursue barbering as a serious hobby weeks before. Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French pursure, pursiure, from Latin prosequi, from pro- forward + sequi to follow — more at pro-, sue