1
: a horse or a figure like a horse behind which a hunter stalks game
2
: something used to mask a purpose
3
: a candidate put forward to divide the opposition or to conceal someone's real candidacy
Examples of stalking horse in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Hezbollah remains a potent regional actor: a stalking horse for Iran, and a prop to the Syrian regime.
—
Bilal Y. Saab, Foreign Affairs, 21 Jan. 2015
While auctions raise the possibility that better offers could be forthcoming, the likelihood that a stalking horse bidder could end up out of the picture isn’t all that common.
—Vicki M. Young, Sourcing Journal, 4 Sep. 2024
In the eyes of Russian leaders, EU expansion is a stalking horse for NATO expansion.
—John Mearsheimer, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2014
But even if the British retailer—which has been named the stalking horse bidder—is successful in its bid, not all seven stores will necessarily remain open.
—Vicki M. Young, Sourcing Journal, 9 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stalking horse 
Bilal Y. Saab, Foreign Affairs, 21 Jan. 2015
While auctions raise the possibility that better offers could be forthcoming, the likelihood that a stalking horse bidder could end up out of the picture isn’t all that common.
—Vicki M. Young, Sourcing Journal, 4 Sep. 2024
In the eyes of Russian leaders, EU expansion is a stalking horse for NATO expansion.
—John Mearsheimer, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2014
But even if the British retailer—which has been named the stalking horse bidder—is successful in its bid, not all seven stores will necessarily remain open.
—Vicki M. Young, Sourcing Journal, 9 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for stalking horse
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stalking horse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Stalking horse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stalking%20horse. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.
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