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

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.

The pair were indicted on charges of “doxxing” Huitzilin and convicted of stalking him at trial last week.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

The peace of lush, rural landscape in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province disguises the anxiety that is stalking the land.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 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

Here’s what VPNs actually do for you in the real world: Privacy protection keeps your ISP from selling your browsing history and advertisers from stalking you across the web.

From Salon • Feb. 11, 2026

“I’m lying. I’ve been stalking him on Facebook,” she says, hugging me.

From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli

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