ghost town

noun

Definition of ghost town

: a once-flourishing town wholly or nearly deserted usually as a result of the exhaustion of some natural resource

Examples of ghost town in a Sentence

After all the gold was mined, the place became a ghost town.

Recent Examples on the Web

But whole sections were razed in the same period, rendering it a virtual ghost town. — Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, "If Beale Street Could Talk adapts James Baldwin’s novel into a haunting, gorgeous film," 18 Sep. 2018 That may be truer in Antelope Wells, the New Mexico ghost town where Caal Maquin’s group crossed, than anywhere else along the border. — Dara Lind, Vox, "The death of 7-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin in Border Patrol custody isn’t an isolated outrage," 18 Dec. 2018 These ghost towns offer a perfect environment for a guerrilla army to regroup, Knights said. — Mustafa Salim, The Seattle Times, "ISIS is making a comeback in Iraq less than a year after Baghdad declared victory," 17 July 2018 Set in the Iranian ghost town of Bad City, a lonesome vampire that stalks the local residents. — Ashley Nkadi, Teen Vogue, "15 Scary Movies Directed by Women Perfect for Halloween," 30 Oct. 2018 Construction has been continuing, too, in places like West Bay, which can still have the feel of a ghost town. — Andrew Keh, New York Times, "The 2022 World Cup Plants Some Trees and Prepares to Step Into the Spotlight," 12 July 2018 The Lake County seat of Lakeport remained under evacuation orders and was a virtual ghost town, although people were allowed back home in several smaller communities as firefighters shored up containment lines. — Fox News, "New fires erupt in Northern California; homes threatened," 1 Aug. 2018 Today, Santa Claus is a ghost town, inhabited by tumbledown buildings and families of rattlesnakes. — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, "Long Live Route 66," 19 July 2018 Your browser cannot play this format Every year, hundreds of brides-to-be travel to a virtual ghost town in Northern Oregon in search of a 110-square foot shed. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "Why Finicky Brides Are Flocking to This Oregon Post Office," 4 June 2015

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ghost town.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.