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

Barnett’s Bruin, in turn, unlocks those desires — Wills stages a haunting and sexy moment where Bruin does tai chi with a toy sword of power that’s probably thematically richer than anything in the He-Man film that’s coming out this week. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 3 June 2026

This collection, really a book-length work, is haunted, haunting, and simply beautiful. —Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 June 2026

Adjective

The haunting and hypnotic story follows stepbrothers Niall (Mitchell Robertson as a teen, Jamie Bell as an adult) and Ruben (Stuart Campell as a teen, Gadd as an adult) over 30 years, as their uneasy yet unshakeable bond becomes an increasingly toxic relationship. —Barry Levitt, Time, 29 May 2026

Robertson plays a beautiful rising but troubled Hollywood starlet who accepts what appears to be the perfect secluded retreat, only to uncover a terrifying web of secrets connected to the property’s mysterious caretaker and the haunting legacy hidden deep within its walls. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 May 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