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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of poltergeist
Enraged, the spirit goes upstairs to his room and begins to cause poltergeist activity like breaking shelves, throwing objects and tearing down posters.
—
Keith Langston, People.com, 27 Jan. 2025
The vocals are ghastly, like poltergeists speaking from the beyond, trying to convey some hazy message the mortals can’t decipher.
—Aaron Gilbreath, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
Does a person accept, say, poltergeists, but not extrasensory perception?
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
The poltergeist feature from director Craig Johnson (The Skeleton Twins) is set to begin streaming via Max on March 13.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for poltergeist
Keith Langston, People.com, 27 Jan. 2025
The vocals are ghastly, like poltergeists speaking from the beyond, trying to convey some hazy message the mortals can’t decipher.
—Aaron Gilbreath, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
Does a person accept, say, poltergeists, but not extrasensory perception?
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
The poltergeist feature from director Craig Johnson (The Skeleton Twins) is set to begin streaming via Max on March 13.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for poltergeist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poltergeist
Noun
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Even in areas where plaintiffs theoretically have power—say, in mass tort litigation—Gatsby’s ghost lingers.—
Aron Solomon
June 24,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
-
On the big screen, he's taken on a wide range of roles, from the titular antihero in Hellboy (2019) and a not-so-jolly Santa Claus in Violent Night (2022) to a friendly ghost dad in We Have a Ghost (2023) and a former race car driver in Gran Turismo (2023).—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
21 June 2025
Noun
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Venus reaches its point of greatest western elongation on June 1, at which time the dazzling 'morning star' will be at its most distant point from the sun in Earth's sky during its pre-dawn apparition.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
31 May 2025
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The more apparitions that arrive, the more the Delta blues mashes up with hip-hop, rock, and other styles.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The supernatural thriller sees a woman return from death as a vindictive spirit to torment her adulterous husband.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
26 June 2025
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Although modern historians still debate the exact details of his role, Craig’s life story captures the entrepreneurial spirit, religious fervor, and frontier innovation that shaped early America and led to the creation of one of the world’s finest spirits.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Noun
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At least until quarter to 2, when Lindsay Lohan whorls through the door like a raspy chaos phantom.—
Jeff Weiss,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2025
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But does Chuck let this phantom haunt him into adulthood?—
Ashley Boucher,
EW.com,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poltergeist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poltergeist. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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