A chaser is a drink you take right after swallowing something with a strong, unpleasant taste. When someone takes medicine that tastes bitter, they might quickly drink juice or water as a chaser to wash away the bad flavor. The chaser helps your mouth recover from whatever you just forced yourself to swallow.

Picture someone grimacing as they gulp down cough syrup, then immediately reaching for a glass of milk to chase away that medicinal taste.

You might also hear people call someone who pursues or follows others a chaser. An autograph chaser runs after famous people hoping to get their signatures. In some classic cartoons, a cat chasing a mouse becomes the chaser in a wild pursuit.

In cycling and racing, chasers are competitors who try to catch up to riders or runners ahead of them. If the race leader has a two-minute advantage, the group of chasers behind works hard to close that gap before the finish line.