stalking

American

[staw-king] / ˈstɔ kɪŋ /

noun

the act or an instance of stalking, or harassing another in an aggressive, often threatening and illegal manner.

Stalking is now a crime in many states.

adjective

of or relating to the act of pursuing or harassing.

Stalking laws have alleviated some problems for famous people.

Other Word Forms

stalkingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of stalking

stalk ² (verb) + -ing ¹

Explanation

Stalking is the act of following someone or something very closely and watching its every move. If you're a very famous movie star, it's quite likely that someone is stalking you even as you read this sentence! The verb to stalk means to pursue carefully, and often stealthily. It was originally used to describe hunters following their prey and waiting for the precise moment to attack. In its more recent, colloquial use, stalk and its gerund form stalking, refer to the act of pursuing a person, often because you have an unhealthy obsession with them. Stalking your ex-girlfriend to see if she’s dating someone may seem like a good idea, but it’s unwise and illegal!

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Vocabulary lists containing stalking

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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.

A former BBC local radio presenter convicted of stalking Jeremy Vine has been recalled to prison for breaching his licence conditions.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

Two protesters were convicted of stalking a U.S.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

Jackson, who plays for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and was in Florida to play in the Unrivaled three-on-three league, reportedly told police that Pearce had been stalking her since she ended their three-year relationship.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

Ms. Bauer reminds us not to take for granted a world where we understand the biology of infectious disease and live free of the stalking horrors that prevailed until yesterday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

But at the very moment she was thinking these thoughts, adventure, as she afterwards told my Mother, was stalking her.

From "Mary Poppins" by P. L. Travers

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023