ghoulish

Definition of ghoulishnext

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ghoulish Its quality isn't the horror itself but the ghoulish environment and subtle danger that lies beneath, being a whodunit occult film that never lets up, keeping us guessing on the true nature of the terrors up until the bitter end. Michael Lee Simpson, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025 Looking just as suave, Consuelos wore a floral, black-and-gold bullfighter suit with ghoulish makeup to match his wife’s skeleton face paint. Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025 So longtime fans may be understandably disappointed that many of these memorable undersea creatures see limited screen time, elbowed aside in favor of the nefarious ghost pirate the Flying Dutchman and his ghoulish crew. Justin Lowe, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025 Aquarius Looking for a ghoulish time? Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ghoulish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ghoulish
Adjective
  • That phrase will take on new meaning this July as Disneyland announced its famed ghostly estate will become available for weddings for the first time.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Creepy campfire tales of a ghostly demon who causes still-births for unsuspecting mothers the world over doesn’t help her own peace of mind.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • This research acts like a cosmic linguist, analyzing subtle spectral signatures to give us unprecedented insight into how these powerful, yet often hidden, forces influence star birth, sculpt galactic gas and orchestrate the evolution of galaxies.
    Paul Sutter, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Her spectral costume featured a stark white dress and white body paint. Ebenezer, due to come out later this year, will mark Depp's first project in over five years.
    Meg Walters, InStyle, 2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • And Petitti, presumably with the backing of his schools, favored a ghastly 24-team model that would have fundamentally altered the regular season.
    Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Not as some awful sort of ghastly skeleton with a scythe in its hand coming to chop us off.
    Terry Gross, NPR, 15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • That cage, the magical but also eerie Thrushcross Grange, is a sight to behold—an epic, retina-searing, sometimes repulsive, consistently jaw-dropping palace, meticulously constructed by production designer Suzie Davies.
    Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2026
  • For what felt like an eternity — but was really 20 minutes — the whole place was enveloped in an eerie silence, the only sound being the steady thump of techno-pop playing through the loudspeakers.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • These kids are spooky, and often annoying.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The first lady opted for a simple, non-spooky aesthetic, lining the stairs and walkways outside with pumpkins and fall leaves.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Come to think of it, becoming a musician might be the ultimate haunting tactic.
    Cazzie David, Vogue, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Under the Banner of Heaven is a haunting look at a specific corner of America not often depicted in popular media.
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • There are biblical storms, creepy family members, Dolly Parton impersonators, a motel clerk named Norman, a hearty side plot involving a suffragist hit squad, and multiple houses on fire.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Feb. 2026
  • The woman behind the uber-creepy Aunt Gladys will be feted Saturday during the 13th annual Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles.
    Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • In a bizarre twist, Sweden’s Sara Hector and Norway’s Thea Louise Stjernesund skied identical times — down to the hundredth of a second — in the morning and afternoon to tie for silver.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Of all the Manhattan’s children—and there are many—the Harvard Cocktail is perhaps the most bizarre.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ghoulish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ghoulish. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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