as in spirits
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 poltergeists
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.
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Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poltergeists
Noun
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The dragon is said to scare away bad spirits and bring good luck.—
Staff report,
Daily News,
22 Feb. 2026
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American celebrity chef Guy Fieri and Colombian-American actress Sofía Vergara made appearances as guests sampled bites from top local and visiting chefs, explored wines, spirits and craft beers, and enjoyed live music, cooking demonstrations and product giveaways.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Upstairs is meticulously staged as an Airbnb retreat that comes with modern amenities, Old West charm and quaint stories about ghosts.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
28 Feb. 2026
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What begins as a journey for father and son to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye, quickly turns into a fantastical adventure the tests their relationship and digs up ghosts from Kratos' past.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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As the 14-year-old child of a poor family in 1858, Saint Bernadette experienced numerous apparitions of a young woman in a cave or grotto, seemingly the Virgin Mary, asking for a chapel to be built on the site.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
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The small museum, which opened last year, covers the creatures, apparitions and mysteries eluding prosaic explanation.—
Adam Kuehl,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Poltergeists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poltergeists. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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