quixotic pursuit

/kwɪkˈsɒtɪk pərˈsuːt/

noun phrase

  1. An idealistic or noble effort that is wildly impractical and unlikely to succeed.

    C1

    countableliterary

    • "Trying to end all conflict with one speech was a quixotic pursuit."B2
    • "Though many regarded the campaign as a quixotic pursuit, its organizers believed it could bring lasting change."C1

Common mistakes

  • quixotic persuit→quixotic pursuit

    Spelling: pursuit is spelled with the letters 'ui' after 'p'.

  • Don Quixote pursuit→quixotic pursuit

    Use the adjective 'quixotic', not the proper noun, when describing an idealistic pursuit.

Collocations

a quixotic pursuitquixotic pursuit of justicequixotic pursuit of perfectionquixotic pursuit of an idealquixotic pursuit of happinessquixotic questquixotic idealquixotic venturequixotic dream

Word family

quixoticquixoticallyquixotismpursuepursuitquixotry