prowl
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
idioms
verb
noun
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the act of prowling
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moving around stealthily
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zealously pursuing members of the opposite sex
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Synonym Usage
See lurk.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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prowlsimple
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prowlssimple
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have prowledperfect
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has prowledperfect
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am prowlingprogressive
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are prowlingprogressive
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is prowlingprogressive
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have been prowlingperfect progressive
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has been prowlingperfect progressive
Past
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prowledsimple
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had prowledperfect
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was prowlingprogressive
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were prowlingprogressive
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had been prowlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of prowl
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English prollen; origin uncertain
Explanation
If you move stealthily — like you're looking for something to prey on — then you prowl. Your cat might prowl around the room and pounce on your feet, which is cute if you're awake, but annoying when you're asleep. The noun prowl means the act of moving as if to capture prey. You could take a prowl through the music shop and try to find your favorite vintage album. Prowl is also used in the phrase "on the prowl," which implies that the person doing the prowling is looking for a romantic partner. Your idea of a fun Saturday night might be staying home while your friends go on the prowl at the dance club.
Vocabulary lists containing prowl
Unit 1: Telling Details
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Touching Spirit Bear
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Where the Red Fern Grows
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Singer Abigail Morris made full use of the stage to prowl around and lead the crowd into a wild sing-a-long to Nothing Matters.
From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026
Vader has instead taken up residence, and he will appear multiple times daily in front of the land’s militaristic TIE fighter before stalking the area on the prowl for Luke Skywalker.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026
Big Pharma is on the prowl for biotech companies, but it’s acting stingy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
“Goldilocks” was the byword for the bull market of the past few years, but now the three bears—oil, gold, and the Fed—are on the prowl, and there may be no happy ending.
From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026
All this time the Lion’s song, and his stately prowl, to and fro, backward and forward, was going on.
From "The Magician's Nephew" by C. S. Lewis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
