prowled; prowling; prowls
: to move about or wander stealthily in or as if in search of prey
: to roam over in a predatory manner
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
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 WebHelen Shaw, The New Yorker, 27 June 2024
The faux taxidermy lion’s head prowling across Jenner’s dress was, at the time, thought to be a) real, b) a blatant endorsement of trophy hunting, and c) grossly insensitive to just about anyone who cares remotely about animal cruelty.
—Alice Newbold, Vogue, 24 June 2024
Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 27 June 2024
Don’t forget water shoes for this leisurely paddle prowl.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for prowl 
Verb
At first, Moore prowls melodramatically at the edges of the action, seeming awkward and at sea.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 27 June 2024
The faux taxidermy lion’s head prowling across Jenner’s dress was, at the time, thought to be a) real, b) a blatant endorsement of trophy hunting, and c) grossly insensitive to just about anyone who cares remotely about animal cruelty.
—Alice Newbold, Vogue, 24 June 2024
Noun
The perimeter shooting is something teams can work with, however, as the league is always on the prowl for capable catch-and-shoot wings.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 27 June 2024
Don’t forget water shoes for this leisurely paddle prowl.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for prowl
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prowl.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near prowl
Cite this Entry
“Prowl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prowl. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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