stalker

noun

stalk·​er ˈstȯ-kər 

plural stalkers

1

: a person who stalks : a person who pursues someone obsessively and aggressively to the point of harassment

celebrity stalkers

In 1990, California was the first state to pass a stalking law that made it a crime to follow, threaten, or harass someone—especially if the stalker threatened violence.

—George

Eighty-seven percent of stalkers are men. Women tend to be victimized by lone male stalkers whom they know, while men are more likely to be stalked by strangers, and half of male victims' stalkers had an accomplice.

—Matthew Klein

2

: a person or animal that pursues quarry or prey stealthily

a deer stalker

Though I catch my share of trout, I do it by being a good stalker and knowing where the fish lie …

—Bill Barich

Polar bears are superb stalkers, and have a way of suddenly appearing heart-stoppingly close.

—John P. Wiley, Jr.

Examples of stalker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The final episodes also resolve the story of Deacon's stalker, Heather (Yael Grobglas), and deliver a balls-to-the-wall firefight with a Russian mercenary group that nearly reduces SWAT's headquarters to rubble. —Randall Colburn, EW.com, 17 May 2025

Every celebrity — no matter how small — had at least one stalker or someone obsessed with them, and no fan was creepier or scarier than the ones obsessed with child stars. —Lizz Schumer, People.com, 14 May 2025

Was there ever a time when Jared or Alisa became concerned about stalkers or predators because of their children’s broad visibility? —Maggie Shannon, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025

Critics of the show have pointed out that the romanticization of his character—a serial killer and stalker—is unhelpful in the face of our very real violence against women and girls epidemic. —Charley Ross, Glamour, 25 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for stalker

• blocker
• chalker
• cocker
• docker
• hawker
• hocker
• knocker
• locker
• mocker
• ocher
• rocker
• shocker