Definition of prowl
intransitive verb
: to move about or wander stealthily in or as if in search of prey
transitive verb
: to roam over in a predatory manner
From the M-W Editors
Examples of prowl in a Sentence
a tiger prowling in the jungle
He moved like a tiger prowling the jungle.
The police were prowling the streets in their patrol cars.
He liked to prowl the streets late at night.
I prowled the store looking for sales.
I prowled through the store looking for sales.
Recent Examples of prowl from the Web
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Your avatar is just a person wearing a T-shirt and khakis, rather than a soldier prowling through a war zone.
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LONGUTE, South Sudan — In this village near the Ugandan border, vultures constantly hover in the sky and dogs prowl the streets.
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A man who was shot in the leg during a dispute with another man on Capitol Hill early Thursday morning may have been prowling cars, Seattle police say.
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Music blares from speakers, robot golf bags prowl the wider aisles.
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Aaron Donald slowly prowled around the Cal Lutheran practice field, clad in camouflage workout pants with a sweatshirt hood over his head.
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Cat prowled beneath the shelf, but had no way to reach my little fish.
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Gunshots echoed through the town at night and soldiers were said to prowl the streets, looting and raping.
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Arrested Saturday, Saintmelus, 19, and Young, 20, each are being held without bond in the Broward Main Jail on more than a dozen charges apiece including prowling, robbery with a weapon and wearing a mask while committing a felony, records show.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prowl.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of prowl
Middle English prollen
prowl
Definition of prowl
: an act or instance of prowling
on the prowl
: in the act of prowling; also : in search of something his fourth wife had just left him, and he was on the prowl again — Mary McCarthy
Examples of prowl in a Sentence
a prowl through the bookshop
Recent Examples of prowl from the Web
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Because Instagram can be a bona fide playground for internet bullies on the prowl, its developers have released two new tools designed to make the social-media platform a friendlier place.
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But a study published in 2011 found that 88 percent of bear attacks were by male black bears on the prowl for food.
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There’s nothing better than witnessing the unharnessed aggression of a hungry bass on the prowl.
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Whereas the vanguardist movement that won is on the prowl for new comrades, the anti-vanguardist movement that lost is looking for people to blame.
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Katey Sagal’s on-the-prowl divorcee now gets a number, Fever (one of a handful of old/new songs unnecessarily shoehorned into the score).
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Erika Hahne, a high school parent liaison, who lives in Boogaloo territory, warns festival-goers that ticket-givers and tow trucks will be on the prowl.
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Those who are on the prowl for a more luggage-friendly option will appreciate the Island Hopping Hat.
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The dry conditions — on the mend now — make food scarce in the forest and sends bears on the prowl to satisfy a daily caloric intake equivalent to 80 cheeseburgers, sometimes breaking into cars and homes.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prowl.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of prowl
1803
PROWL Defined for English Language Learners
prowl
playDefinition of prowl for English Language Learners
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of an animal : to move quietly through an area while hunting
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: to move through a place or area especially while searching for something often in a quiet or secret way
prowl
Definition of prowl for English Language Learners
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: an act of moving through a place while searching for something : an act of prowling
PROWL Defined for Kids
prowl
playDefinition of prowl for Students
prowled
;prowling
: to move about quietly and secretly in hunting or searching Phoebe prowled through the house, examining the walls and carpet … — Sharon Creech, Walk Two Moons
prowler
nounLearn More about prowl
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Spanish Central: Translation of prowl Nglish: Translation of prowl for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of prowl for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
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