prowl

1 of 2

verb

prowled; prowling; prowls

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

prowl

2 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of prowling
see also:

Examples of prowl in a Sentence

Verb 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. Noun a prowl through the bookshop
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Eight adults were charged with offenses, including inciting to riot and loitering and prowling. Christopher Harris, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026 Lilian, looking back ten years later, from a New Jersey college town where Tesla Cybertrucks prowled, felt that the Bay Area before the 2016 election had been as innocent as the children in her minivan, as well-intentioned, as ill-prepared. Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Noun
On this overcast weekday morning, Edelman, now 30, is here with her own 4-year-old daughter, Leah; her friend, Allison Teisch of North Miami Beach, and Teisch’s 4-year-old, Danielle, all of them on the prowl for enticement and diversion. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026 Cupid will be on the prowl this Valentine's Day weekend, hunting down potential targets to unleash a volley of amorous arrows onto unsuspecting mortals. Jeff Spry, Space.com, 14 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prowl

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English prollen

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1803, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prowl was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prowl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prowl. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

prowl

verb
ˈprau̇(ə)l
1
: to move about or wander in a secretive manner in or as if in search of prey
2
: to roam over like a wild beast
prowl the streets
prowl noun
prowler noun

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