When you want to describe following someone or something in an attempt to catch it, you may wonder whether the correct spelling is chase or chace. The difference between Chase vs Chace can be confusing because the two words look and sound similar, but they don’t have the same standard usage or meaning.
Chase is the correct and commonly used English word for following, pursuing, or trying to catch someone or something. Chace is not the standard spelling of this verb in modern English. It may appear as a surname, proper name, or historical spelling, but you generally should use chase in ordinary English writing.
Examples:
- The dog chased the ball across the yard.
- The police chased the suspect down the street.
The confusion is understandable. People often search for chase vs chace, chase or chace, which spelling is correct, or chace meaning in English because the two spellings are only one letter apart. However, using chace instead of chase in standard English can make your writing look like a spelling mistake.
In this guide, you’ll learn the complete difference between Chase vs Chace, including their meaning, pronunciation, origin, correct spelling, and usage. You’ll also see clear examples that explain when to use chase and why chace is usually not the right choice.
Chase vs Chace: Quick Difference
| Word | Modern role | Meaning or use | Example |
| chase | Standard English word | To pursue, follow, or try to catch | The dog chased the ball. |
| chase | Standard English noun | An act of pursuit | The police began a chase. |
| Chace | Proper noun | A surname or given name | Chace joined the team. |
| chace | Historical/obsolete English form | An older spelling of chase | The text uses chace in an old passage. |
The key point is straightforward: use chase for the ordinary modern English word.
What Does Chase Mean?
Chase means to pursue someone or something, usually with the goal of catching it.
For example:
- The dog chased the rabbit.
- The children chased each other around the yard.
- The police chased the suspect.
- She chased the bus down the street.
The word also has a figurative meaning. You can chase a dream, chase success, chase an opportunity, or chase money. In these expressions, nobody needs to run physically. The idea is that you’re actively trying to obtain something.
Chase as a Verb
As a verb, chase describes an action.
Examples:
- The cat chased the mouse.
- The goalkeeper chased the ball.
- The police chased the vehicle.
- The children chased each other.
You can also use chase in figurative expressions:
- He is chasing his dream.
- She’s chasing a promotion.
- They are chasing higher profits.
- The team is chasing the championship.
Chase as a Noun
Chase also works as a noun.
Examples include:
- police chase
- car chase
- high-speed chase
- wild goose chase
- the thrill of the chase
- give chase
- take up the chase
- give up the chase
What Does Chace Mean?
In contemporary English, Chace can function as a proper name. It appears as both a surname and a male given name.
For example:
Chace is my neighbor’s first name.
However, lowercase chace also has a historical meaning. Historical dictionaries record it as an older spelling of chase.
Chace as a Name
When Chace refers to a person, it functions as a proper noun:
- Chace is coming to dinner.
- I spoke with Chace yesterday.
- Chace signed the document.
A person’s name can preserve an unusual spelling, so you shouldn’t automatically change Chace to Chase.
Historical Chace
If you’re reading an old book or historical document, you may encounter chace where modern English would use chase.
That spelling can be authentic for the period. It isn’t necessarily a typo.
Is Chace a Correct Spelling of Chase?
Chace is a historically attested spelling of chase, but it isn’t the standard modern spelling for the ordinary English word.
Use:
- chase for modern standard English
- Chace for a person’s name
- chace when accurately discussing or reproducing historical usage
This distinction explains why both spellings can appear in credible texts without having the same status today.
The History Behind Chase and Chace
The modern word chase entered English through French. Historical records show considerable spelling variation before modern English spelling became standardized.
The historical record includes chace among earlier forms of both the noun and verb chase. Medieval sources also connect chace with pursuit, hunting, and hunting grounds.
English spelling wasn’t always as fixed as it is today. Medieval writers could use different spellings for the same word, and later standardization gradually favored chase.
So the relationship can be summarized as:
Old French and Anglo-Norman forms → Middle English forms such as chace → modern standardized English chase
The exact development is more complicated than a simple spelling swap, but chace has genuine historical roots.
Chase vs Chace in Modern English
Modern English strongly favors chase when the word functions as the ordinary verb or noun.
| Context | Correct modern form | Why |
| Pursuing a dog | chase | Modern verb |
| A police pursuit | chase | Modern noun |
| Pursuing a goal | chase | Figurative modern verb |
| A person’s first name | Chace | Proper name |
| A person’s surname | Chace | Proper name |
| Quoting an old text | chace may appear | Historical spelling |
| Writing an ordinary modern sentence | chase | Standard spelling |
When to Use Chase
Use chase when you’re writing about pursuing, following, hunting, or trying to catch someone or something.
Physical Pursuit
- The dog chased the squirrel.
- The children chased the butterfly.
- The police chased the stolen car.
- The horse chased the other horse.
Figurative Pursuit
- She is chasing her dream.
- The company is chasing new customers.
- He’s chasing success.
- The team is chasing the championship.
When to Use Chace
Use Chace when the spelling belongs to a person’s name or another specific proper noun.
For example:
Chace is a member of the committee.
You should preserve the spelling of someone’s name rather than changing it to the more familiar Chase.
Use historical chace when you’re quoting an old source, discussing historical English, or intentionally preserving an older spelling.
Chase vs Chace: Examples in Sentences
Examples With Chase
- The dog chased the ball across the yard.
- The police began a chase after the suspect fled.
- She decided to chase her dream of becoming a novelist.
- The children chased each other around the playground.
- The company is chasing new opportunities overseas.
- He chased the bus but missed it.
- The team is chasing the championship this season.
- We watched an exciting car chase in the movie.
- Stop chasing things that don’t matter to you.
- The cat chases birds whenever it gets outside.
Examples With Chace
- Chace is my cousin’s first name.
- Chace signed the agreement yesterday.
- The surname Chace appears in historical records.
- The old text uses chace where modern English would use chase.
Chase vs Chace: Common Spelling Mistakes
Using Chace Instead of Chase
❌ The dog chace the cat.
✅ The dog chase the cat.
The standard modern verb is chase.
Writing Chaced Instead of Chased
❌ The dog chaced the cat.
✅ The dog chased the cat.
The modern past tense is chased.
Changing Someone’s Name
If someone’s name is Chace, don’t change it to Chase simply because chase is the common English word.
❌ Chase is coming to the meeting.
✅ Chace is coming to the meeting.
Chase and Its Word Forms
| Form | Example |
| chase | I will chase the dog. |
| chases | She chases the bus every morning. |
| chased | He chased the thief. |
| chasing | They are chasing the ball. |
Remember:
chase → chased
chase → chasing
The past tense keeps the final e, while the -ing form drops it.
Chase vs Chace Pronunciation
The modern word chase is pronounced /tʃeɪs/.
Because Chace can be a personal name, its pronunciation ultimately depends on the individual who uses the name. A name that looks like chase doesn’t necessarily have to follow the same pronunciation rules as the common word.
For everyday writing, however, pronunciation shouldn’t determine the spelling. Meaning and context should.
A Practical Case Study: Choosing the Right Spelling
Consider three sentences.
Sentence A
The dog began to chace the rabbit.
Because this describes ordinary modern action, the correct form is:
The dog began to chase the rabbit.
Sentence B
Chace will lead the project.
Here, Chace is a person’s name, so the spelling can be correct.
Sentence C
The medieval manuscript describes a long chace through the forest.
Here, chace may be appropriate if the sentence intentionally preserves or discusses historical language.
These examples show why context matters more than appearance.
Why Chace Still Appears Today
You may encounter Chace for several reasons.
Personal Names Preserve Older Spellings
Names can preserve spellings that no longer function as ordinary vocabulary. A family may continue using Chace as a surname even though modern English uses chase as the common word.
Historical Texts Preserve Earlier Forms
Old books and manuscripts preserve the spelling conventions of their periods. Historical sources document chace alongside other forms of chase.
Dictionaries Record Obsolete Forms
A dictionary may document a historical word without recommending it for modern writing. Historical entries help readers understand older books and documents.
Chase vs Chace in Formal and Academic Writing
For a contemporary report, essay, email, article, or business document, use chase for the ordinary word.
For example:
The company continues to chase new growth opportunities.
If you’re discussing historical language, however, chace may be exactly what you need.
The manuscript repeatedly uses the form chace.
When an exact historical quotation matters, preserve the source’s spelling rather than silently replacing it with a modern form.
Chase vs Chace: Key Differences at a Glance
| Feature | Chase | Chace |
| Standard modern English word | Yes | No |
| Modern verb | Yes | Generally no |
| Modern noun | Yes | Generally no |
| Meaning “pursue” | Yes | Historical usage |
| Meaning “pursuit” | Yes | Historical usage |
| Personal name | Yes | Yes |
| Surname | Yes | Yes |
| Historical spelling | Yes | Yes, as an older form |
| Best choice for ordinary modern writing | Yes | No |
Frequently Asked Questions About Chase vs Chace
Is Chace a correct spelling of chase?
Chace is a historically documented spelling of chase, but it isn’t the standard modern spelling for the ordinary English word.
Is Chace a name?
Yes. Chace can be used as a surname and as a male given name.
What does chase mean?
As a verb, chase means to pursue someone or something, usually to catch it. As a noun, it can mean an act of pursuit.
What does chace mean?
In historical English, chace is an obsolete spelling of chase. It can also appear today as a personal name.
Should I write chase or chace?
Use chase in ordinary modern English. Use Chace when it is the established spelling of a person’s name or another proper noun.
Are chase and chace pronounced the same?
The common word chase is pronounced /tʃeɪs/. A person named Chace may use the same pronunciation, but personal names can have individual pronunciations.
Is chaced the past tense of chase?
No. The standard modern past tense is chased.
Why does chace appear in old books?
Because chace was an established historical spelling of chase. Older English allowed much more spelling variation than modern standardized English.
Final Verdict: Chase vs Chace
The difference between chase vs chace becomes simple once modern English is separated from historical and proper-name usage.
Chase is the standard modern English word. Use it when you mean to pursue, follow, hunt, or try to catch someone or something. It also works as a noun for the pursuit itself.
Chace has a legitimate history in English, but it isn’t the normal modern spelling of the word. Today, Chace can also appear as a given name or surname.
The practical rule is easy:
Chase = the modern word for pursuit.
Chace = mainly a name or historical spelling.
If you’re writing a normal sentence about pursuing something, chase is the spelling you need.
