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; stalking; stalks
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
Synonyms
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
Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024
When selecting rhubarb, look for stalks that are firm, crisp and free of blemishes.
—Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Search for firm, juicy stalks of lemongrass that are heavy for their size.
—Diep Tran, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024
Regardless of where or how it’s made, rum must be distilled from sugarcane—either the juice extracted from the pressed sugarcane stalks; cane syrup, which is the juice boiled down to remove some of the water; or molasses, a sugarcane by-product.
—Tony Sachs, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024
The thing is, once trees and shrubs have lost their leaves, and the stalks of perennials are mere shadows of their former, vibrant selves, the garden becomes transparent, revealing new work that needs to be done.
—Robert Klose, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Feb. 2024
These include blemishes on the stalks or buds that are dropping.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2024
Eventually, the green onions will form blooms at the top of their stalks which will produce seeds that can be sprinkled elsewhere for even more green onions.
—Alex Groves, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Keep at least 2-3 inches of the stalk attached, making your cut just above a leaf, for prolonged freshness.
—Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024
Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Mar. 2024
Former school bus driver followed child's family Chick stalked the child and his family, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
—Ian Lenahan, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024
Bridget Ann Adams, 40, was convicted of stalking, stalking while prohibited by a court order, false imprisonment, solicitation to commit a crime, two counts of perjury and two counts of witness intimidation, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday in a news release.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 28 Mar. 2024
Stormy Daniels' new documentary pulls viewers into the whirlwind of chaos that's stalked the actress and her family since news of her 2006 encounter with Donald Trump put her at the center of American politics.
—Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 18 Mar. 2024
Tile is facing a similar lawsuit now regarding its tracking device’s lack of protection against stalking.
—Emily Price, PCMAG, 17 Mar. 2024
Edna police officers believe Romero may have been involved in the burglary and may have stalked Lizbeth before allegedly attacking and killing her.
—Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2024
That issue stalked some Republican candidates during congressional races in 2022.
—David Jackson, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes are no match for the Rockettes
A deep malaise also stalks people in countries around the world.
—David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
Noun
The newest stalks have small, baby bulbs, which are tender and edible, along with the green leaves, when the garlic is young.
—Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2024
When selecting rhubarb, look for stalks that are firm, crisp and free of blemishes.
—Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 1 Apr. 2024
Search for firm, juicy stalks of lemongrass that are heavy for their size.
—Diep Tran, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024
Regardless of where or how it’s made, rum must be distilled from sugarcane—either the juice extracted from the pressed sugarcane stalks; cane syrup, which is the juice boiled down to remove some of the water; or molasses, a sugarcane by-product.
—Tony Sachs, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024
The thing is, once trees and shrubs have lost their leaves, and the stalks of perennials are mere shadows of their former, vibrant selves, the garden becomes transparent, revealing new work that needs to be done.
—Robert Klose, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Feb. 2024
These include blemishes on the stalks or buds that are dropping.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2024
Eventually, the green onions will form blooms at the top of their stalks which will produce seeds that can be sprinkled elsewhere for even more green onions.
—Alex Groves, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024
Keep at least 2-3 inches of the stalk attached, making your cut just above a leaf, for prolonged freshness.
—Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024
Verb
Wolf Man, which stars Christopher Abbott (Poor Things) as a man whose family is stalked by a dangerous predator, was written and directed by Whannell.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Mar. 2024
Former school bus driver followed child's family Chick stalked the child and his family, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
—Ian Lenahan, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2024
Bridget Ann Adams, 40, was convicted of stalking, stalking while prohibited by a court order, false imprisonment, solicitation to commit a crime, two counts of perjury and two counts of witness intimidation, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday in a news release.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 28 Mar. 2024
Stormy Daniels' new documentary pulls viewers into the whirlwind of chaos that's stalked the actress and her family since news of her 2006 encounter with Donald Trump put her at the center of American politics.
—Kyler Alvord, Peoplemag, 18 Mar. 2024
Tile is facing a similar lawsuit now regarding its tracking device’s lack of protection against stalking.
—Emily Price, PCMAG, 17 Mar. 2024
Edna police officers believe Romero may have been involved in the burglary and may have stalked Lizbeth before allegedly attacking and killing her.
—Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 7 Mar. 2024
That issue stalked some Republican candidates during congressional races in 2022.
—David Jackson, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024
Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes are no match for the Rockettes
A deep malaise also stalks people in countries around the world.
—David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024
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.
Dictionary Entries Near stalk
Cite this Entry
“Stalk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stalk. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stalk
2 of 3 verb1
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 noun1
: the act of stalking
2
: a stalking manner of walking
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