haunting 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of hauntingnext
as in eerie
fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic the haunting tones of the Highland bagpipes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 haunting
Adjective
Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as a furniture-store owner who finds himself in the titular liminal space, a haunting maze of hallways and rooms that exists on a physically impossible plane of existence. — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 24 July 2026 The exhibition’s lighting slowly reveals another haunting detail. — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026
Verb
The Sound and the Fury The Compson family, their struggles, and their haunting legacies are at the center of this shattering, stream-of-consciousness marvel by William Faulkner. — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026 Abdeen and Sam drove out of Mancelona, and Sam began to sing a quiet, haunting melody. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for haunting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for haunting
  1. eerie
  2. visiting
  3. creepy
  4. frequenting
  5. affecting
Adjective
  • Fog has an eerie and enchanting way of coloring how humans perceive our surroundings—and scientists are discovering that the atmospheric phenomenon may remake microbes’ experience of their environment, too.
    — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The actress recalled the eerie deaths and accidents that happened during the shoot of the film, including a fire that ravaged a great part of the set and one of the crew members who lost their newborn child.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of eerie
Verb
  • Among the seven injured was a woman who was visiting her husband, said Anees al-Asbahi, a spokesman for the Houthi-run health ministry.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Some passengers joined this cruise as an add-on to visiting Machu Picchu; others were staying on when our cruise indeed, to sail to Antarctica.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of visiting
Adjective
  • Halloween is next month, but these creepy crawlies are getting an early start to the spooky season.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • After a freak accident, Frank the bunny appears in an outstandingly creepy fashion to inform Donnie Darko of the world's impending doom.
    — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of creepy
Verb
  • Epps worked as a truck driver, frequenting a route between Miami and Atlanta, according to court documents.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Layla and the kids never made the move to Tuscaloosa, leaving Kiffin to go off the rails, frequenting Tuscaloosa-area bars.
    — John Talty, Vanity Fair, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of frequenting
Verb
  • Another complicating factor is that whatever is impacting recent college graduates also seems to be affecting young people who don’t have a degree.
    — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Harder to pay down debt The relentlessly high gas prices are exacerbating the affordability crisis affecting many Americans.
    — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of affecting

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Haunting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haunting. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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