Standard Lemma guide

prowl

noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • proul
  • /pɹaʊl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aʊl
  • obsolete: /pɹoʊl/
  • CMU ARPABET: P R AW1 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of prowling.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: colloquial

Examples

  • I'm going on a midnight prowl.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To rove over, through, or about in a stealthy manner; especially, to search in, as for prey or booty.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

Examples

  • Watch the lioness prowling in the shrubbery for zebras.
  • It's easy to sneak vandalism into Wiktionary as there are few other users prowling the Recent Changes page.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To idle; to go about aimlessly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • That dandy has nothing better to do than prowl around town all day in his pinstripe suit.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To collect by plunder.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

Examples

  • to prowl money

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

the act of prowling (walking about in a stealthy manner)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: walk, walking

6

verb

Meaning 6

move about in or as if in a predatory manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The suspicious stranger prowls the streets of the town

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: walk

7

verb

Meaning 7

loiter about, with no apparent aim

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lurch

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: loiter, lounge, footle, lollygag, loaf, lallygag, hang around, mess about, tarry, linger, lurk, mill about, mill around

History

Etymology

From Middle English prollen, of unknown origin.

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Polish: grasowanie — the act of prowling
  • Bulgarian: дебна (debna) — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Catalan: aguaitar — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Ngazidja Comorian: uzungulia — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Esperanto: ĉirkaŭvagi — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Finnish: vaania — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Finnish: väijyä — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • French: rôder — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • German: durchstreifen — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • German: herumstreifen — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Greek: στριφογυρίζω (strifogyrízo) — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Hungarian: portyázik — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Italian: aggirarsi — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Polish: grasować — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Russian: ры́скать (rýskatʹ) — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Russian: шныря́ть (šnyrjátʹ) — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Scottish Gaelic: èalaidh — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Spanish: merodear — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Spanish: rondar — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Ukrainian: ни́шпорити (nýšporyty) — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Ukrainian: пони́шпорити (ponýšporyty) — to rove about in a stealthy manner as in search for prey or booty
  • Bulgarian: обикалям (obikaljam) — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Bulgarian: кръстосвам (krǎstosvam) — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Chinese Mandarin: 徘徊 — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Finnish: kuljeskella — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Finnish: hengailla — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • German: herumstreifen — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Hungarian: kóborol — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Hungarian: lófrál — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Polish: wałęsać się — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Portuguese: perambular — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Russian: броди́ть (brodítʹ) — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Russian: шля́ться (šljátʹsja) — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Russian: шныря́ть (šnyrjátʹ) — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Scottish Gaelic: èalaidh — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Ukrainian: ника́ти (nykáty) — to idle; to go about aimlessly
  • Polish: grabić — to collect by plunder