Synonyms of haunting

haunting 1 of 2

adjective

as in eerie

fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic

the haunting tones of the Highland bagpipes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• eerie
• creepy
• weird
• spooky
• uncanny
• unearthly
• bizarre
• mysterious
• spectral
• terrifying
• ghostly
• unusual
• spookish
• ghoulish
• curious
• ghostlike
• quirky
• ghastly
• enigmatic
• odd
• quaint
• uncommon
• peculiar
• supernatural
• metaphysical
• outlandish
• horrible
• horrifying
• puzzling
• terrible
• outré
• inscrutable
• queerish
• dreadful
• preternatural
• unaccustomed
• fearsome

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• common
• normal
• typical
• ordinary
• usual
• everyday
• routine
• commonplace
• natural
• prosaic
• unremarkable
• familiar
• unexceptional
• predictable
• expected

haunting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of haunt

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

• visiting
• frequenting
• affecting
• hanging (at)
• resorting (to)
• habituating
• invading
• patronizing
• attending
• swarming
• running (in)
• infesting
• calling (on or upon)
• stopping (by or in)
• stopping (over)
• staying (at)
• taking in
• dropping in
• popping (in)
• camping (out in)
• dropping by
• overrunning
• sojourning (at)
• tarrying (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoiding
• shaking
• escaping
• evading
• shunning
• eluding
• dodging
• ducking
• eschewing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of haunting

Adjective

John, especially, after the publication of his second book of nonsense verse and stories, had finally cottoned onto the idea of putting some of his literary impulses to good use in song, resulting in some of his most haunting Beatles-era tracks. — Darryn King, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

The Vegetarian by Han Kang, 208 Pages This haunting novel lures readers when a woman’s sudden decision to stop eating meat triggers a destructive crisis in her family. — Arabella Hau, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026

Verb

Cinematographer Armand Thirard’s subtle and shadowy lighting intensifies Diabolique’s haunting suspense and sense of claustrophobia, which later inspired Hitchcock’s Psycho. — Air Mail, 10 Oct. 2026

Halloween on the Hill Des Moines The historic homes in Des Moines’ Sherman Hill neighborhood become a spectacle of haunting decorations and thrilling sights during the annual Halloween on the Hill event. — Michelle Mastro, Midwest Living, 9 Oct. 2026