ghoul

noun

1
: a legendary evil being that robs graves and feeds on corpses
2
: one suggestive of a ghoul
especially : one who shows morbid interest in things considered shocking or repulsive

Examples of ghoul in a Sentence

in Arabic folklore, ghouls could change their shapes but had one unchanging feature: donkey's hooves for feet
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Following psychic researchers in search of spirits in a New England house with a tragic past, The Haunting trades leering ghouls and jump scares for atmosphere and suggestion, cultivating a cloud of dread that hangs like a heavy blanket over audiences. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025 The kids were all dressed in pajamas, with Tatum getting into the Halloween spirit in a dark gray The Nightmare Before Christmas-themed set featuring the film’s protagonist Jack Skellington, pumpkins and ghouls. Kirsty Hatcher, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025 Haunted Trail takes visitors outdoors through a path with dense fog and several haunting installations with zombies, a ghoul bus, a graveyard filled with ghosts, chainsaw maniacs and more. Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025 Jack-o-lanterns, ghouls and goblins are around every corner, but the scariest creatures of all might be thousands of feet below the ocean’s surface. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ghoul

Word History

Etymology

Arabic ghūl

First Known Use

1721, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ghoul was in 1721

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ghoul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghoul. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

ghoul

noun
1
: an evil being of legend that robs graves and feeds on corpses
2
: a person (as a grave robber) whose activities suggest those of a ghoul
ghoulish adjective
ghoulishly adverb
ghoulishness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ghoul

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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