stalk

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

stalking a celebrity

Synonyms of stalk

• hunt
• chase

Examples of stalk in a Sentence

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

Giant scorpions the size of a baseball bat with pincers the size of a pencil once stalked what is now England and Wales. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 4 June 2026

The Ivy League computer science grad from Maryland is also facing stalking offenses in a federal case in Manhattan, playing out parallel to his prosecution and set to go on trial after. —Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 3 June 2026

The restraining order also covers Carpenter’s workplace and vehicle and says Applegate may not harass, intimidate, threaten, contact or stalk her. —Dennis Romero, NBC news, 2 June 2026

Delaney Evans, who drove a CATS bus for 10 years, said she has been spit on, threatened, cursed at, stalked. —Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing stalk

• yolk stalk

Rhymes for stalk

• balk
• baulk
• bloc
• bock
• broch
• brock
• calk
• caulk
• chalk
• chock
• clock
• cock

Kids Definition

stalk

1 of 3 noun

ˈstȯk 

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

ˈstȯkt 

adjective

stalky

ˈstȯ-kē 

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

ˈstȯk 

: a slender supporting or connecting part : peduncle

the pituitary stalk

stalked

ˈstȯkt 

adjective

stalkless adjective

Legal Definition

stalk

transitive verb

ˈstȯk

: to subject to stalking

intransitive verb

: to engage in stalking

stalker noun