prowl

1 of 2

verb

prowled; prowling; prowls

intransitive verb

: to move about or wander stealthily in or as if in search of prey

transitive verb

: to roam over in a predatory manner

prowl

2 of 2

noun

: an act or instance of prowling
Phrases
on the prowl
: in the act of prowling
also : in search of something
his fourth wife had just left him, and he was on the prowl again Mary McCarthy

Examples of prowl in a Sentence

Verb a tiger prowling in the jungle He moved like a tiger prowling the jungle. The police were prowling the streets in their patrol cars. He liked to prowl the streets late at night. I prowled the store looking for sales. I prowled through the store looking for sales. Noun a prowl through the bookshop
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
The 23-year-old midfielder, who joined from Fluminense, celebrates successful tackles like goals, dances during celebrations and generally prowls Premier League pitches with a vaguely unhinged look in his eyes. Steve Madeley, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025 Kevin Willard prowled the sideline with his usual piercing gaze, red tie catching the eye as his Maryland men’s basketball team went toe-to-toe with No. 1 seed Florida in the Sweet 16. Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
There are 31 animatronic dragons on the prowl here, including free-roaming babies. Todd Anderson, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025 His insatiable appetite for worlds comes out of an elemental necessity to ingest fertile planets for sustenance and to maintain balance in the cosmos, forever on the prowl in his world ship, the Taa II. Jeff Spry, Space.com, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prowl

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English prollen

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1803, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prowl was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prowl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prowl. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

prowl

verb
ˈprau̇(ə)l
1
: to move about or wander in a secretive manner in or as if in search of prey
2
: to roam over like a wild beast
prowl the streets
prowl noun
prowler noun

More from Merriam-Webster on prowl

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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