haunting
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
-
(of memories) poignant or persistent
-
poignantly sentimental; enchantingly or eerily evocative
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of haunting
Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; see origin at haunt, -ing 2, -ing 1
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.
Brody couldn’t ask for a better scene partner than Thompson, an accomplished theater actor who gives haunting texture to a character unique in both her imperfections and seductive appeal.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026
Since the pandemic, there has been an incredible phenomenon where vulgarity, crude humor and haunting news have gone viral on social-media platforms, creating an entertainment expectation from our representatives.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
But the phantoms of the past remain, haunting our dreams and taunting us with the comfort of imagined reconciliation, until we wake up and it slips away.
From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026
They praised the "emotional depth" of Freije's work, highlighting its "unique sculptural vocabulary of materials and forms, as well as the haunting and expressive way she transformed the space through her arrangement of figures".
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
And death is also all around, too, haunting our lives.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
