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

In his directorial debut, Ian Tuason plays with the senses in this chilling flick about a pair of paranormal podcasters who are sent a series of disturbing audio files. —Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026

Olivia Simon, United States, 2025, WORLD PREMIERE Trapped alone in a haunted room, a paranormal researcher’s experiment goes horrifically wrong. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026

Writer-director Ian Tuason makes his feature directing debut with this disturbing story of Evy (Nina Kiri), who cohosts a paranormal investigation podcast while caring for her terminally ill mother. —David Faris, TheWeek, 10 Mar. 2026

Pic was written and directed by horror filmmaker Ian Tuason, and follows the host (Nina Kiri) of a popular paranormal podcast who becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 10 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