To seek means to try to find something or to look for it actively and with purpose. When you seek your lost homework, you check your backpack, look under your bed, and retrace your steps deliberately. When scientists seek a cure for a disease, they run experiments, study data, and test different approaches until they find what works.

The word suggests effort and intention. You might casually glance around a room, but when you seek something, you're truly searching for it. Explorers sought new trade routes to Asia. A detective seeks clues to solve a mystery. When you seek out a friend at lunch, you're deliberately looking for them in the cafeteria.

Seek can also mean trying to achieve or obtain something beyond physical objects. You might seek advice from a trusted teacher, seek permission from your parents, or seek adventure during summer vacation. When someone seeks the truth, they're working hard to understand what really happened. The phrase hide-and-seek captures both meanings: one person hides while others actively search, trying to find them.