poltergeists

noun

plural of poltergeist
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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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 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. — Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poltergeists
  1. spirits
  2. ghosts
  3. apparitions
Noun
  • To be clear, there have been agave spirits that have been made with mole before.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 22 July 2026
  • To preserve the fruit, Elio Carta’s grandmother, Anna Maria Perra, placed the berries in spirits already produced by the family, laying the foundation for what became the house’s historic myrtle recipe.
    — Layne Randolph, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of spirits
Noun
  • Petrarch pictures the ghosts of Homer and Ennius together, and Homer’s ghost points out to Ennius a solitary figure, Francescus, working on a great epic poem, Africa.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
  • Within its pages, the reader becomes one of Dan Tana’s beloved ghosts.
    — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of ghosts
Noun
  • That is, until miraculous apparitions turn it into a place to be.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • Today, the massive complex attracts paranormal investigators who report apparitions, voices, and other unexplained phenomena.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
Definition of apparitions

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poltergeist
poltergeists
poltroon
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Cite this Entry

“Poltergeists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poltergeists. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on poltergeists

Nglish: Translation of poltergeists for Spanish Speakers

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