as in ghost
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people
we thought a poltergeist was knocking dishes off the shelves, but it turned out to just be vibrations from passing trains
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Recent Examples of poltergeist
The Warrens are also famous for their investigation of a haunted house in Amityville, NY, and the 1980s Connecticut poltergeist case based on a Warren case, in which demonic possession was used unsuccessfully as a defense in a murder trial.
—
Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2025
Despite debuting nearly 40 years after the original, the poltergeist scared up a strong $452 million at the global box office.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 1 Aug. 2025
On a more intimate scale, Gemma and Cady’s new Bay Area rental is a smart house where everything is a potential poltergeist, from the ice dispenser to the vacuum.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
Things take a turn when the family discovers that their charming rental is already occupied—by a centuries old poltergeist.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poltergeist
Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2025
Despite debuting nearly 40 years after the original, the poltergeist scared up a strong $452 million at the global box office.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 1 Aug. 2025
On a more intimate scale, Gemma and Cady’s new Bay Area rental is a smart house where everything is a potential poltergeist, from the ice dispenser to the vacuum.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2025
Things take a turn when the family discovers that their charming rental is already occupied—by a centuries old poltergeist.
—Annabelle Canela, Parents, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poltergeist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poltergeist
Noun
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The ghosts of a 37-0 shutout to Iowa less than a month ago still lingered — the boos that faded into silence, the homecoming crowd that emptied before the fourth quarter, the scoreboard stuck on humiliation.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Pacino stars as the enigmatic titular figure, described as part muse, part ghost of cinema past.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Fettel is present as a ghostly apparition.—
Will Borger,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
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Pulse is a ghost story, featuring two interwoven storylines about young Tokyoites who begin to see and hear strange apparitions flitting across their computer screens.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In this spirit, as with Bloomsday, there are Midwinter Day marathon readings!—
Diana Arterian,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
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The 40th release, however, marks the first time the brand has ever released a tequila—an extra añejo blend put together by a leading name in the agave spirits industry.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poltergeist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poltergeist. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.
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