sought

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'sought' is correct and usable in written English.
It is both a verb (past tense of seek) and an adjective. Example sentence: She sought a better job to improve her income.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Politics

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Meanwhile, Karimov has sought to keep Russia at arm's length.

The Guardian

Chafee's candidacy seems targeted almost directly at Hillary Clinton and her foreign policy record – the Democratic equivalent of those conservative hawks who sought to enter the Republican primary solely to excoriate Rand Paul on the debate stage.

The Guardian

While bombs did some damage, they did nothing compared with a disastrous postwar planner, Rowland Nicholas, who sought to demolish much of the city – even the town hall – to rebuild a socialist utopia.

The Guardian

That is why I have sought, until now, to fight my imprisonment quietly from within, to make the authorities understand that this is all a terrible mistake, that I've been caught in the middle of a political struggle that is not my own.

The Guardian

It found 5% of those surveyed had sought help for mental health problems.

The Guardian - Sport

Cruz sought to tie Obama's record overseas to the likely Democratic nominee, who was seldom mentioned in the day's speeches.

The Guardian

The Tories sought to portray the result as a blow to Labour, which held the seat until 2010 on different boundaries.

The Guardian

We are all politicians and we have all sought votes.

The Guardian

Tony Abbott has sought to play down the backlash over Australia's decision to refer to East Jerusalem as "disputed" rather than "occupied" territory, saying the government had made only a "terminological clarification".

The Guardian

Bennett's keynote conference speech sought to broaden the appeal of the party by tackling more than simply environmental concerns.

The Guardian

She spent part of last year having very discreet conversations with the treasury as she sought to persuade George Osborne to commit serious money to building the artistic headquarters of his northern powerhouse plan.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing past efforts, "sought" adds a sense of formality and purpose that might be missing with more casual alternatives like "looked for".

Common error

Avoid using "sought" in present tense constructions. "Sought" is the past tense and past participle of "seek". In the present tense, use "seek" or "seeks" depending on the subject.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "sought" is as the past tense and past participle of the verb "seek". It describes actions taken in the past with the intention of finding or achieving something, as illustrated in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Sport

15%

Politics

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Science

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sought" functions as the past tense and past participle of "seek", indicating a purposeful effort to find or achieve something. Its usage is grammatically correct and very common, particularly in news and media, sports, and political contexts, as Ludwig's examples demonstrate. While maintaining a neutral register, "sought" adds a layer of formality and intention to past actions. As indicated by Ludwig AI, the term is usable in written English. When writing, ensure you're using it in the past tense and consider alternatives like "attempted to obtain" or "tried to acquire" to vary your language. By understanding its function, purpose, and contexts, you can effectively incorporate "sought" into your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

attempted to obtain

Focuses on the attempt to gain something, emphasizing the effort made.

tried to acquire

Highlights the effort to get possession of something.

aimed to secure

Emphasizes the goal of making something safe or certain.

endeavored to find

Stresses the earnest and prolonged effort to discover something.

pursued the goal of

Highlights the active chase towards a specific objective.

worked towards achieving

Emphasizes continuous work and progress towards a final result.

strived for

Suggests a great effort and determination in reaching a goal.

looked for

A more general term for searching or trying to find something.

searched for

Emphasizes the act of carefully examining in order to find something.

wished to discover

Implies a desire to uncover or find something previously unknown.

FAQs

How can I use "sought" in a sentence?

"Sought" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "seek". For example, "The lawyer "sought to obtain" evidence to support her client's case".

What are some alternatives to the word "sought"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "attempted", "tried", or "pursued".

Which is correct: "sought" or "seeked"?

"Sought" is the correct past tense and past participle form of "seek". "Seeked" is not a standard English word.

What is the difference between "sought" and "looked for"?

"Sought" implies a more deliberate and often formal search, whereas "looked for" is a more general and informal way of saying someone was trying to find something.