ghosting
Americannoun
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the appearance of multiple copies or blurred representations of an object on a screen or in an image.
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Informal.
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the practice of suddenly ending all contact with a person without explanation, often in a dating or romantic relationship.
After several unanswered calls and texts to her, he concluded he’d been a victim of ghosting.
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French leave, Irish goodbye. the act of leaving a social event or engagement suddenly and without saying goodbye.
Ghosting might be the best option if we want to get home before midnight.
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the act or practice of abandoning a job without notice and refusing further contact.
A labor shortage has contributed to ghosting in the workplace.
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Digital Technology. the removal of comments, threads, or other content from a website or online forum without informing the poster, keeping them hidden from the public but still visible to the poster.
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the act of adopting the identity of a dead person, especially someone relatively unknown, before the death has been recognized by the government, banks, etc..
Sometimes ghosting can go on for months before the crime is detected.
Etymology
Origin of ghosting
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.
The case for boring men: Dating in the modern era is a minefield, requiring you to deftly navigate the apps, tune out bad TikTok advice, and contend with the threat of ghosting.
From Slate ● Oct. 28, 2026
The primary driver of the narrative is an unnamed writer who has approached a famous actor — the M of the title — with the proposition of ghosting her autobiography.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
“The ghosting thing is a very real problem,” he said — adding that hasn’t seen any evidence that a cover letter improves the chances of a response for GigHQ users.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
Washington has spent the past few years ghosting Robin Zeng, China’s fourth-richest man.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 24, 2026
Pocock was ghosting over the water as if effortlessly, his boat ethereal looking in a light mist that had settled on the water.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
