as in spectral
of or relating to a ghost
A ghostly figure appears in the house at night.
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Recent Examples of ghostly
Throughout modern history, visitors have reported ghostly apparitions according to Scary Stories of Mammoth Cave.
—
Graham Averill, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025
Franco-Chinese painter Xie Lei, known for his dreamlike portraits of ghostly, ambiguous figures adrift in dark spaces, has been announced as the winner of this year’s Prix Marcel Duchamp, France’s most prestigious contemporary art prize.
—News Desk, Artforum, 27 Oct. 2025
Located in the Baton Rouge area of Louisiana, the plantation, originally called Laurel Grove built in 1798 has quite a history accompanied by an impressive collection of ghostly lore.
—Noreen Kompanik, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
The city works to balance fun with reverence, and discourages people from coming to the city to enter the cemeteries at night hoping for a ghostly experience.
—Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ghostly
Graham Averill, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025
Franco-Chinese painter Xie Lei, known for his dreamlike portraits of ghostly, ambiguous figures adrift in dark spaces, has been announced as the winner of this year’s Prix Marcel Duchamp, France’s most prestigious contemporary art prize.
—News Desk, Artforum, 27 Oct. 2025
Located in the Baton Rouge area of Louisiana, the plantation, originally called Laurel Grove built in 1798 has quite a history accompanied by an impressive collection of ghostly lore.
—Noreen Kompanik, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
The city works to balance fun with reverence, and discourages people from coming to the city to enter the cemeteries at night hoping for a ghostly experience.
—Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ghostly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ghostly
Adjective
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The global spectral phenomena will happen the night after the Southern Taurids meteor shower peaks, according to the American Meteor Society.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
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The vast stillness of the second movement, with spectral arpeggios chiming on a prepared piano, was all the more potent in contrast.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Today, guests say the laughter hasn’t faded entirely, with reports of footsteps, flickering lights and phantom chatter ringing through the halls.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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No trail, just rock after rock, a phantom rattlesnake curled in every crevice.—
Rowan Jacobsen,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ghostly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ghostly. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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