haunting

1 of 3

noun

haunt·​ing ˈhȯn-tiŋ 

ˈhän-

plural hauntings

: an act of haunting

especially : visitation or inhabitation by a ghost

… its early history is replete with drama: duels, murders, shipwrecks, … even ghostly hauntings.

—Sally Gibson

When asked about hauntings on Tuesday's tour, [Albert] Walavich said he knew he would get a question about ghosts on Halloween, but he doesn't believe any haunt the grounds.

—Taylor Hartz

haunting

2 of 3

adjective

: having qualities (such as sadness or beauty) that linger in the memory : not easily forgotten

a haunting melody

haunting images

… pale, branchless tree trunks with a haunting, Georgia O'Keeffe quality …

—Susannah Master

haunting

3 of 3

present participle of haunt entry 1

Synonyms

Adjective

• creepy
• eerie
• eery
• spookish
• spooky
• uncanny
• unearthly
• weird

Examples of haunting in a Sentence

Adjective

the haunting tones of the Highland bagpipes

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

While on The View, Crystal chatted about his latest project, Before, an Apple TV+ drama series that stars the comedian as a child psychiatrist helping a young boy through a haunting. —Bailey Richards, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024

Ghosts and hauntings felt like another layer that could open up the story in interesting ways, and open up these humans and animals some more, too, in the hope of further revealing themselves to the world, to each other, to the reader. —Cressida Leyshon, The New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2024

Adjective

The game’s soundtrack is heavy on somber piano melodies, but ratchets up into stranger, more haunting places as the story goes deeper into dreamlike territory. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2024

His installations, which often weave together film, voice, sound, and image, are haunting and beautiful. —Sumayya Vally, TIME, 2 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, "frequenting a place, dwelling place," from haunten "to frequent, haunt entry 1" + -ing -ing entry 1

Adjective

from present participle of haunt entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1823, in the meaning defined above