ghosting

noun

ghost·​ing ˈgō-stiŋ 

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) usually without explanation 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

As the weeks progressed, the young man suffered from a litany of symptoms, including severe headaches, double vision, starbursts, ghosting, halos and other visual disturbances, his parents said. —Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 24 May 2025

Like its stablemate, the Tab X C features a 13.3-inch display paired with the company's own fast refresh technology for minimal ghosting and snappy response. —New Atlas, 29 Apr. 2025

Dissanayake says ghosting, miscommunication and dating app fatigue often occur when one side of a match seeks a genuine connection, and another is just looking to feel good. —Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025

According to the comments under the post, this does not always look like the harsher ends of the rejection pendulum: ghosting or unfollowing. —David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ghosting

• boasting
• coasting
• hosting
• posting
• roasting
• toasting
• composting