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
There are newspaper clippings, from the 1950s through to the 2000s, concerning ghost sightings, or reports of poltergeists in market towns or children who appear to possess uncanny extrasensory powers.
—
Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Ghostwatch is truly one of a kind, a ghost story disguised as a live news broadcast in which reporters chronicle a family supposedly being haunted by a poltergeist.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
Set in the late 1970s, sees Ed and Lorraine Warren head to a council house in Enfield, North London, where a single mother and her four children are being plagued by what appears to be a poltergeist.
—Simon Thompson, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for poltergeist
Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Ghostwatch is truly one of a kind, a ghost story disguised as a live news broadcast in which reporters chronicle a family supposedly being haunted by a poltergeist.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
Set in the late 1970s, sees Ed and Lorraine Warren head to a council house in Enfield, North London, where a single mother and her four children are being plagued by what appears to be a poltergeist.
—Simon Thompson, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for poltergeist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poltergeist
Noun
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The big hits came from pinch-hitter Troy Johnston, who hit a double to right to score ghost runner Willi Castro, and Jake McCarthy, who drove in Johnston with a single to center.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
9 May 2026
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And what about Ctenocheloides attenboroughi, a living species of ghost shrimp less than an inch long?—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
Noun
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The peak of Mercury's apparition (for latitude 40 degrees north) and its greatest elongation from the sun don't occur until the middle of June.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
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The museum site has been a paranormal hotbed for decades, with sightings of apparitions, security camera footage capturing items flying off shelves, as well as experiences from staff members and visitors.—
Gregory Harutunian,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Barker’s other heroes include Nathan Fielder and Tim Robinson, comics whose work contains an undeniable dark streak, and who share his prankster’s spirit and high tolerance for unease.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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Vitello said postgame that Koss’ helmet cracked as a result of the bean ball, but Koss was in good spirits after the game.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poltergeist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poltergeist. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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