stakeout

1 of 2

noun

stake·​out ˈstāk-ˌau̇t How to pronounce stakeout (audio)
: a surveillance maintained by the police of an area or a person suspected of criminal activity

stake out

2 of 2

verb

staked out; staking out; stakes out

transitive verb

1
: to assign (someone, such as a police officer) to an area usually to conduct a surveillance
2
: to maintain a stakeout of
3
: to claim as one's own

Examples of stakeout in a Sentence

Noun The drug deal was witnessed during a stakeout of the building. The police were on a stakeout.
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.
Noun
The detectives assigned to the stakeouts arrested three persons Friday night on charges of robbery and kidnapping. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 2 Mar. 2025 So do your homework and maybe even a little undercover stakeout. Teja Chekuri, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
Ansari ran on a progressive platform but staked out more centrist turf on issues like policing and U.S. foreign policy toward Israel. Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 3 Jan. 2025 The Staud website stakes out a brand positioning that is both empowering to women and accessible. Evan Clark, WWD, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stakeout

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1942, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1951, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stakeout was circa 1942

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Cite this Entry

“Stakeout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stakeout. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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