ghostly

adjective

ghost·​ly ˈgōst-lē How to pronounce ghostly (audio)
ghostlier; ghostliest
1
: of or relating to the soul : spiritual
2
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a ghost : spectral
ghostliness noun
ghostly adverb

Examples of ghostly in a Sentence

A ghostly figure appears in the house at night.
Recent Examples on the Web If someone wandered briefly into the shot, the resulting picture would contain their ghostly trace superimposed over substantial furniture, buildings or people who had held still for the full exposure. Andrea Kaston Tange, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024 Ever since the French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce produced, in the mid-eighteen-twenties, what is now the world’s oldest surviving photograph—a lonely, ghostly image of a rooftop taken from a window—the medium has inspired a bounty of beauty and melancholy. Hilton Als, The New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2024 And why would anyone want to share their home with ghostly roommates? Michelle Mastro, Architectural Digest, 18 Oct. 2024 But the Jerome Grand Hotel is not defined solely by its ghostly residents. Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ghostly 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ghostly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ghostly was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near ghostly

Cite this Entry

“Ghostly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghostly. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

ghostly

adjective
ghost·​ly ˈgōst-lē How to pronounce ghostly (audio)
ghostlier; ghostliest
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a ghost
ghostliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ghostly

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