stalking

noun

stalk·​ing
: the act or crime of willfully and repeatedly following or harassing another person in circumstances that would cause a reasonable person to fear injury or death especially because of express or implied threats
broadly : a crime of engaging in a course of conduct directed at a person that serves no legitimate purpose and seriously alarms, annoys, or intimidates that person

Note: Stalking is often considered to be aggravated when the conduct involved also violates a restraining order protecting the victim.

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Cite this Entry

“Stalking.” Merriam-Webster.com Legal Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/stalking. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

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