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

There was another trauma around the corner with a stalker. —Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 May 2024

In 2016, the Nickelodeon alum's stalker lit himself on fire and then fatally shot himself in her front yard As Richard Gadd's Baby Reindeer is captivating the world, Miranda Cosgrove is reflecting on her own traumatic experience with a stalker. —Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 10 May 2024

Miranda Cosgrove recounted a horrifying experience with a stalker that just might rival the stalker story in Netflix's Baby Reindeer. —Jessica Wang, EW.com, 10 May 2024

What Bardo learned from a private eye, stalkers can now find with a click. —Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2024

Kroupa moved out of state and changed his phone number and email address but could not escape his stalker until police made a shocking arrest in 2016. —Corin Cesaric, Peoplemag, 8 Feb. 2024

Playing the charmingly unhinged Ingrid, an internet stalker of the highest order, Aubrey Plaza doesn't hit a false note. —Debby Wolfinsohn, EW.com, 4 Feb. 2024

Victims of stalkers who used Apple AirTags to track their whereabouts will be able to move forward with their lawsuit against the tech giant, a federal judge has ruled. —Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2024

But the small bluetooth devices that owners attach to their key chains or keep in their bags and purses to locate their personal belongings, have been misused by stalkers who are tracking their targets' every move. —CBS News, 20 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2