paranormal

adjective

para·​nor·​mal ˌper-ə-ˈnȯr-məl 

ˌpa-rə-;

ˈper-ə-ˌnȯr-, 

ˈpa-rə-

: not scientifically explainable : supernatural

paranormal noun

paranormality

ˌper-ə-ˌnȯr-ˈma-lə-tē 

ˌpa-rə-

noun

paranormally

ˌper-ə-ˈnȯr-mə-lē 

ˌpa-rə-;

ˈper-ə-ˌnȯr-, 

ˈpa-rə-

adverb

Synonyms of paranormal

• supernatural
• metaphysical
• transcendental

Examples of paranormal in a Sentence

there are rumors that the old deserted mansion is the site of paranormal activity

Recent Examples on the Web

The Volo Museum is located in the far northwest suburb it is named for, and is well known for reports by guests, employees and the family of owners of paranormal activity on the property. —Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026

The host of a popular paranormal podcast begins to be haunted by disturbing recordings sent to her anonymously. —Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026

The project will be a reimagining of the 2017 film, which centers on a police officer and a series of paranormal researchers and investigators who attempt to get to the bottom of supernatural occurrences that are centered in one neighborhood in Buenos Aires. —Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026

Olivia Simon, United States, 2025, WORLD PREMIERE Trapped alone in a haunted room, a paranormal researcher’s experiment goes horrifically wrong. —William Earl, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing paranormal

• the paranormal

Rhymes for paranormal

• orthonormal
• supernormal
• abnormal
• conformal
• informal
• lognormal
• nonformal
• subnormal
• formal
• formyl

Medical Definition

paranormal

adjective

para·​nor·​mal ˌpar-ə-ˈnȯr-məl 

: not understandable in terms of known scientific laws and phenomena

experiments in paranormal cognition of drawings

—Psychological Abstracts

paranormally

-ē 

adverb