stake·out
ˈstāk-ˌau̇t 
: a surveillance maintained by the police of an area or a person suspected of criminal activity
staked out; staking out; stakes out
1
: to assign (someone, such as a police officer) to an area usually to conduct a surveillance
2
: to maintain a stakeout of
3
: to claim as one's own
Examples of stakeout in a Sentence
Noun
The drug deal was witnessed during a stakeout of the building.
The police were on a stakeout.
Recent Examples on the Web
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 1 Sep. 2024
There’s a coda with Axel, Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggart (John Ashton) that recreates their famous stakeout in the first film.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 July 2024
Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, 24 Oct. 2024
Yellen's comments stake out the position of those — including essentially all mainstream economists — who see trade as broadly beneficial for Americans and tariffs as an inflationary force that do more harm than good.
—Neil Irwin, Axios, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stakeout 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Left to do nothing but watch their target on hidden cams, Bravo’s stakeout turned into what Friends‘ Ross might call Truth Day.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 1 Sep. 2024
There’s a coda with Axel, Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggart (John Ashton) that recreates their famous stakeout in the first film.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 July 2024
Verb
In his letter to the president, the chief had tried to focus attention on the police department’s need for resources without staking out a political position on immigration.
—Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, 24 Oct. 2024
Yellen's comments stake out the position of those — including essentially all mainstream economists — who see trade as broadly beneficial for Americans and tariffs as an inflationary force that do more harm than good.
—Neil Irwin, Axios, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stakeout
Dictionary Entries Near stakeout
Cite this Entry
“Stakeout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stakeout. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share