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 of haunting

Adjective

• eerie
• creepy

Examples of haunting in a Sentence

Adjective

the haunting tones of the Highland bagpipes

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

As the tiny village fell into disrepair and the locals forgot about the gas-station man and his quirky hobby, stories of hauntings and spooky auras became commonplace. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026

Haunted Homes Can Be Hard to Prove The bottom line is, buyers can always ask whether a home has experienced any hauntings. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2026

Adjective

What unfolds is a heartbreaking, at times haunting story about a little boy who strove to become a legend, and the woman who understood his manic, at times reckless drive. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026

For decades, the 1934 photograph of the Loch Ness Monster was a haunting image of a lost world. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026

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

Rhymes for haunting

• daunting
• flaunting
• taunting
• vaunting
• wanting