pursuing perfection

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "pursuing perfection" is correct and can be used in written English.
It means striving to achieve something that is flawless or without flaws. Example: She spent years pursuing perfection in her craft, constantly practicing and refining her skills until she became a renowned artist.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Science & Research

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

4 East 77th Street Manhattan Through Sept. 4 Relentlessly pursuing perfection, the conceptualist James Lee Byars (1932-1997) was a performer and an object maker in the tradition of Duchamp.

The New York Times - Arts

PRHI believes that in pursuing perfection, many of the challenges facing today's health care delivery system (eg, waste and error in the delivery of care, rising costs, frustration and shortage among clinicians and workers, financial distress, overcapacity, and lack of access to care) will be addressed.

American Journal of Infection Control

"Here" is a college football program that sacrifices its players' long-term well-being and its community's dignity for the sake of winning; that looks the other way when stars are accused of violent crimes; that skirts ethics off the field while pursuing perfection on it.

The New York Times - Books

Respondents said that ACMS would be very helpful in achieving the following project lean and sustainable values: pursuing perfection by continuous improvement, specifying precisely value from the perspective of the ultimate customer/owner, identifying clearly the process that delivers what the customer/owner values (the value stream) and eliminating construction works' waste.

Visualization in Engineering

Have you found yourself pursuing perfection?

Huffington Post

"We could get the same or better results with half the money, but the flows of money do not allow you to find the waste and reinvest it," said Dr. Berwick, who is also a co-director of Pursuing Perfection, a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Many scientists pursue perfection in their work.

Nature

Mr. O'Mealy, for one, was willing to pursue perfection, even at the expense of corporate formality.

The New York Times

If you must pursue perfection, at least use the former definition rather than the (unattainable) latter.

Harvard Business Review

"A craftsman pursues perfection, and that seemed like a burden," he recalled.

The New York Times - Arts

Ms. Ford's "Dark Side of the Light Chasers" was a best-seller that encouraged people to acknowledge their faults rather than pursue perfection.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "pursuing perfection", consider balancing the aspiration for excellence with the understanding that complete flawlessness is often unattainable. Focus on continuous improvement rather than fixating on an impossible end goal.

Common error

Avoid letting the pursuit of perfection paralyze your efforts. Recognize that striving for excellence is valuable, but insisting on absolute flawlessness before taking action can lead to missed opportunities and decreased productivity. Aim for improvement and progress over unattainable perfection.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pursuing perfection" functions as a gerund phrase, acting as a noun. It often serves as the subject or object of a sentence, describing an ongoing action or goal. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

20%

Science & Research

15%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "pursuing perfection" is a grammatically sound and semantically rich expression used to describe the act of striving for an ideal or flawless state. Ludwig AI indicates its correctness, and its frequency is classified as uncommon. While the phrase appears in a variety of contexts, it is most prevalent in News & Media and Science domains. Related phrases include "striving for excellence" and "aiming for flawlessness". When using "pursuing perfection", it's important to balance the ambition for excellence with the understanding that complete flawlessness is often unattainable, lest the pursuit becomes paralyzing. Remember to focus on continuous improvement rather than fixation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

striving for excellence

Focuses on high quality rather than absolute flawlessness.

aiming for flawlessness

Highlights the intent to achieve a state without defects.

seeking idealization

Suggests a quest for an idealized state, possibly beyond practicality.

chasing the ideal

Emphasizes the continuous pursuit of a perfect standard.

working toward excellence

Focuses on effort and progress in achieving superior quality.

endeavoring to be impeccable

Highlights the effort to be flawless and without fault.

quest for the best

Highlights a journey with the purpose of achieving something outstanding.

endeavoring for perfection

Highlights an attempt to reach an unobtainable goal.

trying to be perfect

Focuses on the attempt rather than the achievement of being perfect.

seeking ideal standards

Highlights searching for a state of optimal and excellent quality.

FAQs

How can I use "pursuing perfection" in a sentence?

You can use "pursuing perfection" to describe someone's dedication to achieving an ideal standard, as in "She is known for "pursuing perfection" in her artwork, constantly refining her technique".

What are some alternatives to "pursuing perfection"?

Alternatives include "striving for excellence", "aiming for flawlessness", or "seeking idealization", each with subtle differences in emphasis.

Is it better to aim for "pursuing perfection" or settle for "good enough"?

While "pursuing perfection" can drive improvement, it's often more practical to balance this with the understanding that "good enough" may be sufficient in many situations, preventing wasted effort on diminishing returns.

What's the difference between "pursuing perfection" and "demanding perfection"?

"Pursuing perfection" implies a personal drive for excellence, whereas "demanding perfection" suggests imposing unrealistic standards on others, which can be counterproductive.