as in eerie
fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic
the haunting tones of the Highland bagpipes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in visiting
to go to or spend time in often
much of her time is spent haunting antique shops in search of unique knobs for the curio cabinets she builds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of haunting
David John Chávez, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
Although not exactly the same, Bach Mai wove together long silk strands of black fringe on a dress, coat and skirt for a look that felt similarly haunting.
—Ari Stark, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
David Faris, TheWeek, 24 Feb. 2026
The film can get a little scary at times for younger viewers, but both parents and kids will be captivated by its haunting beauty.
—Danny Horn, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for haunting
Adjective
There is insight into other historical financial disasters (a scene involving the stock market crash of 1929 is particularly haunting), but not much mention of the impacts of Reaganomics in the 1980s, and the late 2000s dynamics of subprime mortgages and home foreclosures.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026
Although not exactly the same, Bach Mai wove together long silk strands of black fringe on a dress, coat and skirt for a look that felt similarly haunting.
—Ari Stark, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
The gorgeous, haunting animation allows the filmmakers to precisely recreate the Lebanese battlefield and grapple with the events that led to the infamous massacre of Palestinian refugees at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camp outside of Beirut at the hands of Lebanese Christian extremists.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 24 Feb. 2026
The film can get a little scary at times for younger viewers, but both parents and kids will be captivated by its haunting beauty.
—Danny Horn, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for haunting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for haunting
Adjective
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The killings are patterned on childhood drawings the victims made years earlier, lending the murders an eerie, premeditated quality.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Live broadcasts are an eerie experience.—
Roger Bennett,
Fortune,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Start by visiting Elmina Castle, the oldest European building in sub-Saharan Africa, founded by Portuguese colonizers in 1482.—
Melanie van Zyl,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Mar. 2026
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And following every swish, the Rockets crowd broke from tradition and applauded the visiting guard.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The sound design both in the audio files and in the house – Tuason’s actual family home – is supremely creepy.—
Peter Larsen,
Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
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None of his subjects question this way of thinking, and their zomboid passivity ultimately feels more creepy than charming.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Morrison — who’s opening the concept with his wife, Monica — said it’s named after the owl that’s been frequenting his backyard since his sons were born.—
Jenna Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
20 Feb. 2026
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So instead of criticizing yourself for frequenting the same place over and over again, lean into it even more.—
Ellen O’Brien,
SELF,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 5% on Monday as oil prices surged to nearly $120 a barrel, driven by Middle East war disruptions affecting global oil supplies.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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The closing of the strait is affecting Gulf producers unevenly and testing the limits of their contingency plans.—
Amena Bakr,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Haunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haunting. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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