ghosting

ghost·ing | \ ˈgō-stiŋ

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Definition of ghosting

1 : a faint double image on a television screen or other display also : the formation of such images Such displays tend to suffer from ghosting, which shows up as extraneous lines on screen. — Consumer Reports

2 informal : the act or practice of abruptly cutting off all contact with someone (such as a former romantic partner) by no longer accepting or responding to phone calls, instant messages, etc. Romeo one minute, where'd he go the next? Ghosting is when you go poof and literally disappear out of someone's life without a word or explanation.— Samantha Burns "It's the fear of missing out on the thing, or person, that is coming next. … It may be a little mean, but we're dating; it's not like we're in a relationship," said one anonymous online dater in defense of ghosting.— Chelsea Frisbie — see also ghost entry 2 sense 3

Examples of ghosting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web First documented by Brittany Cox of Thought Catalog back in 2017, this phenomenon is a lot like ghosting, but without the abrupt disappearance. — Erika W. Smith, refinery29.com, "Curving: Another Terrible Dating Trend," 29 Jan. 2020 The one noteworthy issue here is overshoot, or inverse ghosting. — Jeff Dunn, Ars Technica, "Guidemaster: Finding the best gaming monitors you can buy in 2019," 23 Aug. 2019 Yep, this is called ghosting, and there’s now an entire docuseries devoted to hunting down an answer from those who are doing the disappearing. — Jasmine Grant, Essence, "Rachel Lindsay Talks Hosting MTV's 'Ghosted' And How To Confront The Ghost In Your Own Dating Life," 24 Sep. 2019 And ironically, this episode highlights what is so conflicting yet enduring about the concept of ghosting. — Clarkisha Kent, EW.com, "MTV's Ghosted pushes exploitative reality TV boundaries — but is boring while doing it," 19 Sep. 2019 First a definition — ghosting is the act of disappearing from an interaction without a word. — Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, "Working Strategies: Ghosting interviewers, candidates, and everyone else," 28 Sep. 2019 Pretty much everyone can say they’ve either been ghosted or did the ghosting at some point in their dating life. — Jasmine Grant, Essence, "Rachel Lindsay Talks Hosting MTV's 'Ghosted' And How To Confront The Ghost In Your Own Dating Life," 24 Sep. 2019 The nuances of online apps, the constant potential for ghosting, the strange and bizarre interactions that can sometimes result? — Katherine J. Igoe, Marie Claire, "Chrissy Teigen Has SO Many Thoughts and Questions About Modern Dating," 21 Jan. 2019 When someone ghosts you, they are gone — but ghosting might be more accurately used for a situation in which someone is no longer physically present, but their presence is still felt. — Brittney Mcnamara, Teen Vogue, ""Orbiting" Is the New Breakup Habit That's Worse Than Ghosting," 11 Dec. 2018

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