prowler
noun
prowl·er
ˈprau̇-lər
plural prowlers
: a person or animal that prowls
Within a few million years of this major turning point in Earth history, the seas were swarming with myriad forms of life, swimmers, prowlers, sedentary beasts, and burrowers.—Roger Lewin
The foxes … and other prowlers with whom we share our city, love rubbish collection days.—Sarah Evans
especially
: a person who moves through an area or place in a quiet and stealthy way in order to commit a crime
There were reports of a prowler in the neighborhood.
He felt uneasy being out there by himself. No one ever walked in Linden Hills, and he didn't want to be mistaken for a prowler. —Gloria Naylor
… she kills him with a shotgun, claiming that in the dark she mistook him for a prowler. —Lawrence Eisenberg
Cite this Entry
“Prowler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prowler. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
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