haunted
Americanadjective
-
inhabited or frequented by ghosts.
a haunted castle.
-
preoccupied, as with an emotion, memory, or idea; obsessed.
His haunted imagination gave him no peace.
-
disturbed; distressed; worried.
Haunted by doubt he again turned to law books on the subject.
adjective
-
frequented or visited by ghosts
-
(postpositive) obsessed or worried
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of haunted
Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; see origin at haunt, -ed 2
Explanation
Something that's haunted seems to have ghosts. Visiting a scary haunted house is a great, if terrifying, way to spend Halloween night. Ghosts, or spooky apparitions, are what makes a place haunted. You might truly believe your grandparents' house is haunted, or it might just seem that way because of the scary creaks and groans in the night, the cobwebs in dark corners, and the dim lighting. You can also describe a person as haunted when she's obsessed with or tormented by something: "I was haunted by the memory of my cat killing that poor mouse."
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.
Like all tragedies, Cuba’s is haunted by unanswered questions, fatal mistakes and sliding-doors alternative possibilities.
From Salon • May 24, 2026
If any place should be haunted, it is the Brontë parsonage.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026
Fleming, according to the Associated Press, told Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett in court on Wednesday: "It's truly a nightmare I can't wake up from. I'm haunted by the mistakes I made."
From BBC • May 13, 2026
Cenet remains haunted by that stop, fearing a "worst-case scenario", he said.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
“Less haunted than when you last saw it. The whole house has floors now. And my mom put up some family photos.”
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
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.
