Have you ever heard someone say, “She is chasing after her dreams” or “The dog chased after the cat” and wondered what “chase after” means?
The phrase can be confusing for English learners because it has both literal and figurative uses. Sometimes it describes someone physically trying to catch another person or thing. In other situations, it describes trying hard to achieve something, such as success, money, a dream, or even someone’s affection.
In this guide, I’ll explain the chase after meaning, show you how to use it naturally, and explain the differences between “chase,” “chase after,” “go after,” and “pursue.”
By the end, you’ll be able to recognize and use this expression with much more confidence.
What Does “Chase After” Mean?
“Chase after” means to pursue someone or something, usually because you want to catch, reach, or obtain them.
The phrase has two main uses.
Literal meaning
It can describe physically following or running after someone or something in an attempt to catch it.
The dog chased after the rabbit.
The dog is physically pursuing the rabbit.
Figurative meaning
It can also describe actively trying to achieve or obtain something that cannot literally be chased.
She is chasing after her dream of becoming a writer.
She isn’t physically running after her dream. Instead, she is working hard to achieve it.
So, the simplest definition of chase after is:
To pursue someone or something with the intention of catching, reaching, or obtaining it.
The exact meaning depends on the context.
Is “Chase After” an Idiom or a Phrasal Verb?
You may see “chase after” described as an idiomatic expression or a verb phrase.
The important thing for English learners is understanding how it behaves in a sentence.
The phrase consists of:
chase + after
Here, “chase” is the main verb and “after” introduces the person or thing being pursued.
For example:
The children chased after the ball.
He chased after the thief.
She is chasing after her dream.
The phrase can be used in different tenses by changing chase, while after stays the same.
How to Use “Chase After” in a Sentence
The basic structure is:
Subject + chase after + object
For example:
The dog chased after the cat.
The children chased after the ball.
She chases after success.
They are chasing after new opportunities.
The object can be a person, animal, physical object, goal, dream, or another thing being pursued.
Different tenses
Present simple:
The dog chases after the cat.
Past simple:
The dog chased after the cat.
Present continuous:
The dog is chasing after the cat.
Past continuous:
The dog was chasing after the cat.
Future:
The dog will chase after the cat.
The phrase remains easy to recognize because only the verb changes.
1. “Chase After” for Physical Pursuit
The most straightforward use of “chase after” is physical pursuit.
Imagine a dog running after a rabbit, a child running after a ball, or a police officer trying to catch a suspect.
For example:
The dog chased after the rabbit but couldn’t catch it.
Here, “chased after” means ran after the rabbit in an attempt to catch it.
More examples:
The children chased after the ball.
The police officer chased after the suspect.
She chased after the bus but missed it.
The cat chased after the mouse.
The boy chased after his brother around the garden.
This is a literal use because the person or animal is physically moving toward the thing being pursued.
2. “Chase After” for Dreams and Goals
Now let’s look at the figurative use.
English speakers often use “chase after” when talking about something they strongly want to achieve or obtain.
For example:
She is chasing after her dream of becoming a doctor.
Nobody is literally running after a dream. The sentence means that she is making an effort to achieve her ambition.
You can use “chase after” with things such as:
- Dreams
- Success
- Money
- Fame
- Opportunities
- Happiness
- Goals
- Wealth
- Recognition
Examples:
He is chasing after his dream of becoming a professional athlete.
Many people spend years chasing after success.
She’s always chasing after new opportunities.
Some people spend too much time chasing after money.
He left his job to chase after his dream.
This figurative use often communicates effort, ambition, persistence, or strong desire. Depending on the context, however, it can also suggest that someone is pursuing something too intensely.
3. “Chase After” Someone
Another important use is chasing after a person.
This can have a literal meaning or a romantic meaning.
Literal:
The police chased after the thief.
The police are physically trying to catch the thief.
Romantic:
He has been chasing after her for months.
Here, “chasing after her” means he has been trying to gain her romantic interest or affection.
This expression can sound positive, playful, neutral, or negative depending on the situation.
For example:
He’s been chasing after her because he really likes her.
This sounds relatively positive.
But:
Why are you still chasing after someone who isn’t interested in you?
Here, the expression suggests persistent or unwanted pursuit.
So, context matters.
4. “Chase After” Success, Money, and Fame
You will often see “chase after” with things such as money, fame, and success.
For example:
He’s always chasing after money.
This means he is constantly trying to obtain more money.
Another example:
She spent years chasing after fame.
This means she spent years trying to become famous.
These expressions can be neutral, but they can also carry a slightly critical tone. The speaker may be suggesting that someone is overly focused on obtaining something.
Compare:
She worked hard to achieve success.
This sounds neutral and positive.
She was always chasing after success.
This can suggest a more restless or persistent pursuit.
The difference is subtle, but understanding it can help you sound more natural in English.
Chase After vs. Chase
A common question is whether “chase” and “chase after” mean the same thing.
In many literal situations, they are very similar.
With “chase”:
The dog chased the rabbit.
With “chase after”:
The dog chased after the rabbit.
Both sentences mean that the dog pursued the rabbit.
However, “chase” can often be used without “after,” and it is frequently the more direct construction.
For example:
The police chased the thief.
The police chased after the thief.
Both are possible.
But don’t assume that every verb can work the same way. “Pursue,” for example, does not normally take “after.”
Chase After vs. Pursue
“Pursue” is one of the closest formal alternatives to “chase after.”
Compare:
She is chasing after her dream.
She is pursuing her dream.
Both mean that she is trying to achieve her dream.
However, “pursue” generally sounds more formal and neutral, while “chase after” is more conversational and vivid.
Compare the tone:
He is pursuing a career in medicine.
This sounds professional or academic.
He is chasing after his dream of becoming a doctor.
This sounds more personal and expressive.
You should choose the word according to the style of your writing.
Chase After vs. Go After
“Go after” can also mean trying to obtain or achieve something.
For example:
She is chasing after a promotion.
She is going after a promotion.
Both can mean that she is actively trying to get the promotion.
However, “go after” often sounds more direct and determined, while “chase after” can emphasize the idea of ongoing pursuit.
Another example:
He is going after his goals.
This sounds confident and purposeful.
He is chasing after his goals.
This can sound more like an ongoing pursuit.
Both expressions are useful in everyday English.
Chase After vs. Look For
These expressions should not be confused.
Look for means search for or try to find something.
I’m looking for my keys.
This does not mean that you are physically pursuing your keys.
Chase after means actively pursuing something or someone.
The dog chased after the ball.
So:
I’m looking for a job.
is much more natural than:
I’m chasing after a job.
Although the second sentence can be used in certain contexts, it has a different tone and suggests a more intense pursuit.
Common Expressions With “Chase After”
Here are some useful combinations to remember:
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Chase after a dream | Try hard to achieve a dream | She is chasing after her dream. |
| Chase after success | Try to become successful | He is chasing after success. |
| Chase after money | Try hard to obtain money | He spends his life chasing after money. |
| Chase after fame | Try to become famous | She isn’t interested in chasing after fame. |
| Chase after opportunities | Actively seek opportunities | They are chasing after new opportunities. |
| Chase after someone | Pursue a person | He chased after her. |
| Chase after a goal | Work toward achieving a goal | She is chasing after her goals. |
Learning these combinations can make the phrase much easier to use naturally.
Does “Chase After” Have a Positive or Negative Meaning?
The phrase itself is not automatically positive or negative.
Its meaning depends on the situation and the speaker’s attitude.
Positive:
She is chasing after her dream of becoming an artist.
This suggests ambition and determination.
Neutral:
The children chased after the ball.
There is no strong emotional judgment.
Potentially negative:
He’s always chasing after money.
This could suggest that he is overly focused on wealth.
That’s why you should pay attention to the words surrounding “chase after.”
Common Mistakes With “Chase After”
Mistake 1: Saying “Chase For”
Incorrect:
She is chasing for success.
Correct:
She is chasing after success.
You can also say:
She is pursuing success.
“Chase for” is not the standard construction when you mean “pursue.”
Mistake 2: Saying “Pursue After”
Incorrect:
He is pursuing after his dream.
Correct:
He is pursuing his dream.
Or:
He is chasing after his dream.
The verb “pursue” already contains the idea of following or seeking, so “after” is unnecessary.
Mistake 3: Assuming “Chase After” Always Means Running
Not always.
She is chasing after success.
This is figurative.
It means she is trying hard to achieve success, not literally running.
Always look at the object of the phrase to determine whether the meaning is literal or figurative.
Practice Time
Let’s test your understanding of the chase after meaning.
1. Which sentence uses “chase after” literally?
A. She is chasing after success.
B. The dog chased after the rabbit.
C. He is chasing after his dreams.
Answer: B. The dog chased after the rabbit.
The dog is physically pursuing the rabbit.
2. Which sentence uses “chase after” figuratively?
A. The children chased after the ball.
B. The cat chased after the mouse.
C. She is chasing after her dream of becoming a writer.
Answer: C. She is chasing after her dream of becoming a writer.
Here, “chasing after” means working toward or trying to achieve something.
3. Choose the correct phrase:
He is ______ his career goals.
A. chasing for
B. chasing after
C. pursuing after
Answer: B. chasing after
Correct sentence:
He is chasing after his career goals.
4. Which sentence is grammatically correct?
A. She is pursuing after success.
B. She is chasing for success.
C. She is chasing after success.
Answer: C. She is chasing after success.
A Quick Way to Remember “Chase After”
Think of the word “pursue.”
If someone chases after something, they are actively trying to catch it, reach it, or obtain it.
Physical:
The boy chased after the ball.
Catch it.
Goal:
She chased after her dream.
Achieve it.
Person:
He chased after her.
Catch or pursue her / seek her attention.
This simple idea of pursuit connects the different meanings.
Final Thoughts
So, what is the chase after meaning?
In simple English, “chase after” means to pursue someone or something.
When used literally, it describes physical pursuit:
The dog chased after the rabbit.
When used figuratively, it describes the effort to achieve or obtain something:
She is chasing after her dreams.
It can also describe romantic pursuit:
He has been chasing after her for months.
The phrase is flexible, but the central idea remains the same: someone is actively pursuing something they want to catch, reach, or obtain.
One more thing is worth remembering: you don’t always need “after” with the verb “chase.”
The dog chased the rabbit.
and
The dog chased after the rabbit.
can both be correct.
However, when you use “pursue,” don’t add “after”:
She pursued her dream.
not:
She pursued after her dream.
Understanding these small differences will help you use the phrase more naturally.
Wrap-Up
I find that the easiest way to learn expressions like “chase after” is to learn the idea behind them rather than memorizing a single definition.
Think of pursuit.
You can physically chase after a dog, cat, ball, bus, or thief. You can figuratively chase after a dream, goal, opportunity, success, money, or fame. And in certain contexts, you can chase after someone you are romantically interested in.
Once you understand that central idea, the different uses become much easier to recognize.
So the next time you read “She is chasing after her dreams,” you’ll know exactly what it means: she is actively working toward achieving the things she hopes for.
Keep practicing the phrase in different contexts, and you’ll soon be able to use “chase after” naturally and confidently in both everyday conversation and English writing.