The difference between Follow and Pursue

When used as verbs, follow means to go after, whereas pursue means to follow urgently, originally with intent to capture or harm.

Follow is also noun with the meaning: in billiards and similar games, a stroke causing a ball to follow another ball after hitting it.

check bellow for the other definitions of Follow and Pursue

  1. Follow as a verb (transitive):

    To go after; to pursue; to move behind in the same path or direction.

    Examples:

    "'Follow that car!"

  2. Follow as a verb (transitive):

    To go or come after in a sequence.

    Examples:

    "B follows A in the alphabet."

    "We both ordered the soup, with roast beef to follow."

  3. Follow as a verb (transitive):

    To carry out (orders, instructions, etc.).

    Examples:

    "'Follow these instructions to the letter."

  4. Follow as a verb (transitive):

    To live one's life according to (religion, teachings, etc).

  5. Follow as a verb (transitive):

    To understand, to pay attention to.

    Examples:

    "Do you follow me?"

  6. Follow as a verb (transitive):

    To watch, to keep track of (reports of) some event or person.

    Examples:

    "I followed the incumbent throughout the election."

    "My friends don't regularly follow the news."

  7. Follow as a verb (transitive):

    To be a logical consequence of.

    Examples:

    "It follows that if two numbers are not equal then one is larger than the other."

  8. Follow as a verb (transitive):

    To walk in, as a road or course; to attend upon closely, as a profession or calling.

  1. Follow as a noun (sometimes, attributive):

    In billiards and similar games, a stroke causing a ball to follow another ball after hitting it.

    Examples:

    "a follow shot"

  2. Follow as a noun (internet):

    The act of following another user's online activity.

  1. Pursue as a verb (ambitransitive):

    To follow urgently, originally with intent to capture or harm; to chase.

  2. Pursue as a verb (transitive):

    To follow, travel down (a particular way, course of action etc.).

    Examples:

    "Her rival pursued a quite different course."

  3. Pursue as a verb (transitive):

    To aim for, go after (a specified objective, situation etc.).

  4. Pursue as a verb (transitive):

    To participate in (an activity, business etc.); to practise, follow (a profession).

  5. Pursue as a verb (intransitive):

    To act as a legal prosecutor.

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