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

An arrogant advertiser at the peak of success is forced to promote a tycoon as a presidential candidate, while a mysterious stalker threatens to destroy his agency and his reputation. —Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 21 Jan. 2025

News of Clark's stalker came out just one month after a man pleaded guilty to stalking UConn women's basketball star Paige Bueckers. —Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 17 Jan. 2025

Several warring factions exist within the Zone, as well as lone bandits and stalkers. —Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024

But rest assured, the real Bialik promises that the fake Bialik is a not a violent stalker. —Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 13 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2