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Glite Dictionary
to go after

to go after

839 2.1
Try to get something you want or follow someone to catch them
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : perseguir
  • The team decided to go after the championship title this season.
  • go after people
  • go after things

And those things are easier to go after than just lies.

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Examples

Synonyms

to seek
vsto go after
∞ 1.0

Try to find or get something you want

can also imply following someone as part of the attempt
to pursue
vsto go after
∞ 3.5

To try to get something you want, like a job or a goal

is the multiword alternative that stresses making effort or following
to chase
vsto go after
855 1.0

To run after someone or something to catch them

can cover trying to get something even when not moving quickly
to hunt
vsto go after
322 1.0

To chase someone or something without stopping to catch them

is usually less relentless and can mean a general attempt rather than forceful pursuit
to go for
vsto go after
272 2.5

To try to get something you want by making an effort

can add a sense of physically following as well as making effort
to seek out
vsto go after
122 3.0

Look for and find a person or thing, often with effort

is used more generally for trying to get or following without specific finding focus
to quest for
vsto go after
64 5.4

To search for something that is hard to find

is the everyday phrasal way to express trying without the heroic search tone
to tail
vsto go after
52 5.9

To follow someone closely and secretly to watch them

can be used for open or effortful attempts without secret observation
to trail
vsto go after
50 2.5

Follow someone closely to try to catch them

is broader and also covers trying to get without close, sustained following
to dog
vsto go after
23 6.8

To follow someone closely and keep causing them trouble

is not always hostile and can be used for general trying to get someone
to give chase
vsto go after
11 4.1

Start running after someone or something to catch them

refers more broadly to trying to get or make effort, not just starting pursuit
to chase after
vsto go after
4 1.9

To run after someone or something to catch them

is more general and also covers trying to get without fast movement
to quest after
vsto go after
8.0

To go looking for something difficult to find or get

is less common everyday phrasing and stresses the long hard search

Antonyms

to ignore
∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

to give up
∞ 1.2

To stop trying to do something or accept defeat

How Determined

to hunt
322 1.0
to chase
855 1.0
to go after
839 2.1
to pursue
∞ 3.5
to seek
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

go after infinitive
went after past
gone after past participle
going after present participle
goes after third person singular

Morphology

go + after

The meaning 'to pursue or try to get someone/something' is directly derivable from combining 'go' (move toward) with 'after' (following), since pursuing is a straightforward extension of following. This motion verb + particle composition is cross-linguistically common and therefore a B1 learner who knows the constituents would likely infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Go after comes from the simple image of moving behind someone to catch or reach them: you go and follow after them. That's why when you go after a job or a person it means 'to pursue' or 'try to get' them.