stalking horse

noun

stalk·​ing horse ˈstȯ-kiŋ- 

1

: a horse or a figure like a horse behind which a hunter stalks game

2

: something used to mask a purpose

3

: a candidate put forward to divide the opposition or to conceal someone's real candidacy

Examples of stalking horse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The filing also mentions a stalking horse bidder that may be connected to camp families and alumnae, though the identity and purchase price were not yet disclosed. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026

The Dania Beach headquarters campus that once served as the nerve center of now-defunct Spirit Airlines has been sold to a Boston hedge fund that served as the stalking horse bidder in a bankruptcy court auction. — David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026

Markets may be used as stalking horses to extract more from other markets. — Maury Brown, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2026

As part of those filings, Red Lobster entered into a stalking horse purchase agreement pursuant to which Red Lobster will sell its business to an entity formed and controlled by its existing term lenders. — Finch Walker, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1519, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stalking horse

• counterforce
• intercourse
• nonrecourse
• reinforce
• watercourse
• bourse
• coarse
• course
• force
• gorse
• hoarse
• norse