stalk

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: a slender upright object or supporting or connecting part
especially : peduncle
2
a
: the main stem of an herbaceous plant often with its dependent parts
b
: a part of a plant (such as a petiole or stipe) that supports another
stalked adjective
stalkless adjective
stalky adjective

stalk

2 of 3

verb

stalked; stalking; stalks

intransitive verb

1
: to pursue quarry or prey stealthily
2
: to walk stiffly or haughtily

transitive verb

1
: to pursue by stalking
2
: to go through (an area) in search of prey or quarry
stalk the woods for deer
3
: to pursue obsessively and to the point of harassment

stalk

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
: the act of stalking
2
: a stalking gait

Examples of stalk in a Sentence

Verb a movie about a detective being stalked by a killer This is the time of year when hunters are stalking the woods for deer. She called the police because her ex-boyfriend was stalking her. She angrily stalked out of the room.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Across town, in a field that has not been irrigated, the plants are thinner and have fewer vines, with barely any leaves toward the bottom of their stalks. Catie Edmondson, New York Times, 12 Sep. 2023 But after a month of being knocked around like wheat stalks in a Palouse windstorm, Oregon State and Washington State are finally fighting back. Bill Oram, oregonlive, 11 Sep. 2023 The wipers are controlled by a stalk sprouting from the right of the steering column. Csaba Csere, Car and Driver, 7 Sep. 2023 As the disease progresses, the plants will become barren stalks with one or two yellow leaves left. Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2023 Turn-Stalk Signal: The C5's windshield-wiper control stalk comes from the Oldsmobile Aurora, with one major modification: On an early test drive, former Chevrolet general manager Jim Perkins inadvertently pulled the stalk and activated the windshield washers. Jim Frenak, Car and Driver, 7 Sep. 2023 The stems are green with purple splotches and coarse white hairs on the thick stalks, which may be 2 to 4 inches in diameter. Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 24 Aug. 2023 From winter to spring the aloes follow, displaying spectacular bloom clusters on tall sturdy stalks. Nicole Sours Larson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2023 From summer to fall, the stalks, which look like wheat, produce seeds that entice migratory birds and waterfowl. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 31 July 2023
Verb
That includes a hint of mystery surrounding Dex, whose first wife died, as well as at least one shadowy woman who appears to be stalking Anna. Brian Lowry, CNN, 21 Sep. 2023 One clear indicator is if the bear is charging or stalking you, possibly exhibiting a bluff charge to test your reaction. Craig Caudill, Field & Stream, 20 Sep. 2023 Last year, as the crusts of snow retreated behind my house, a pair of Sandhill Cranes began to stalk the brambles. Lois Parshley, Scientific American, 19 Sep. 2023 Rayburn stalked her from May 10 to Sept. 6, documents show. Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 13 Sep. 2023 Tragedy and substance abuse have stalked the Biden family for generations. Katie Rogers, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2023 Chop stalks into bite-size pieces and add them to your favorite pasta salad recipe—this Pasta Salad With Spring Vegetables and Tomatoes is a great place to start. Antara Sinha, Bon Appétit, 28 Aug. 2023 When Harwick ended the relationship in 2012, Pursehouse allegedly began stalking and harassing her, prompting her to file the two restraining orders against him, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE. Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 7 Sep. 2023 Its users often fixated on transgender people, relentlessly stalking and doxing them. Nitasha Tiku, Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stalk.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English stalke; akin to Old English stela stalk, support

Verb

Middle English, from Old English bestealcian; akin to Old English stelan to steal — more at steal

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near stalk

Cite this Entry

“Stalk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stalk. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

stalk

1 of 3 noun
1
: a slender upright object or supporting or connecting structure
the stalk of a goblet
2
: a plant stem especially of a plant that is not woody
stalks of asparagus
stalked adjective
stalky adjective

stalk

2 of 3 verb
1
a
: to hunt slowly and quietly
stalk deer
b
: to go through (an area) in search of prey
stalk the woods for deer
2
: to walk in a stiff or proud manner
stalked out of the room
3
: to pursue obsessively and to the point of harassment
stalker noun

stalk

3 of 3 noun
1
: the act of stalking
2
: a stalking manner of walking

Medical Definition

stalk

noun
: a slender supporting or connecting part : peduncle
the pituitary stalk
stalked adjective
stalkless adjective

Legal Definition

stalk

transitive verb
ˈstȯk
: to subject to stalking

intransitive verb

: to engage in stalking
stalker noun

More from Merriam-Webster on stalk

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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