prowls
Hunts with stealth
Prowls is the verb prowl in its third-person singular form—to move stealthily, typically while searching for something.
Predators prowl for prey; burglars prowl neighborhoods looking for vulnerable homes.
The word suggests quiet, purposeful movement with potentially threatening intent: A cat prowls the garden at night.
Someone on the prowl is actively seeking something, often a romantic or sexual partner.
Stealthy, persistent pursuit
- trackingMonitoring location over time
- preyAnimal being hunted
- quarryPit for extracting rock
- ambushSurprise strike from concealment
pursuit · predation · chase · capture · forage · search · circling · pouncing
Moving slowly, stealthily
- skulkingMoving furtively, covertly
- slinkingMoving with furtive stealth
- lurkingConcealed and watchful
- sneakingMoving to avoid detection
tiptoeing · padding · gliding · sidling · furtive · stealthy · silent · undetected
Maned African feline
- tigerLarge striped Asian feline
- leopardSpotted African wild cat
- pantherLarge dark wildcat
- wolfWild pack canine
jaguar · cougar · lynx · bobcat · hyena · fox · coyote · wildcat
Dark hours between dusk and dawn
- darknessTotal absence of light
- moonlightReflected solar radiance, nocturnal
- shadowsDark areas from blocked light
- midnightTwelve o'clock at night
twilight · dusk · alleyways · streetlamps · nightfall · roaming · wandering · restless
Actively looking at something
- observingPerceiving attentively
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- patrollingMonitoring by traversing
- casingEnclosing cover or frame
scouting · reconnoitering · investigating · shadowing · tailing · following · undercover · detective
stalking
Stealthy, persistent pursuit
ambush · pursuit · predation · chase · capture · forage · search · circling · pouncing · lurking
creeping
Moving slowly, stealthily
sneaking · tiptoeing · padding · gliding · sidling · furtive · stealthy · silent · undetected · shadowing
lion
Maned African feline
wolf · jaguar · cougar · lynx · bobcat · hyena · fox · coyote · wildcat · feral
nighttime
Dark hours between dusk and dawn
- darknessTotal absence of light
- moonlightReflected solar radiance, nocturnal
- shadowsDark areas from blocked light
midnight · twilight · dusk · alleyways · streetlamps · nightfall · roaming · wandering · restless · sleepless
watching
Actively looking at something
- observingPerceiving attentively
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- patrollingMonitoring by traversing
casing · scouting · reconnoitering · investigating · shadowing · tailing · following · undercover · detective · vigilant
- on the prowlSearching for prey
- night prowlerOne active after dark
- prowl carPolice patrol vehicle