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Synonyms

ghost story

American  

noun

  • ghost stories
    plural
  1. a tale in which such elements as ghostly visitations and supernatural intervention are used to further the plot and a chilling, suspenseful atmosphere.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of ghost story

First recorded in 1810–20


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

“Last Day of a Prior Life,” also translated by Ms. Dillman, is a somewhat more formal exercise—a classic ghost story joined to a psychological mystery.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Strikingly, “Ghost-Eye” has none of the eerie mood of a Gothic novel or ghost story.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

“Presence” was a ghost story about teenage loneliness, filmed from the perspective of a spirit haunting the house a grieving family has just moved into.

From Salon ● Apr. 17, 2026

And that’s fitting, of course, for a ghost story.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 21, 2026

A British man began narrating, his voice melodramatic, like he was telling a ghost story that just might be true.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

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