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

Adjective

• eerie
• eery
• creepy

Examples of haunting in a Sentence

Adjective

the haunting tones of the Highland bagpipes

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Gone were the hauntings of the past and the idealized pop star of the present that dominated the last few hours; here was Gaga, as bare as can be, taking one last bow to roaring applause. —Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 17 July 2025

The Conjuring, starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, dramatized an account of the Perron family haunting, which took place in Rhode Island in 1971. —Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 16 July 2025

Adjective

The sobering and haunting experience, MacDonald said, has sparked an interest in how the search for missing persons can be improved. —Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2025

The video plays clips of the Weeknd singing the haunting lyrics in front of several cement backdrops that show the star stuck in a sort of purgatory. —Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 6 June 2025

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
• shantung
• taunting
• vaunting
• wanting