haunted

American  

[hawn-tid, hahn-] / ˈhɔn tɪd, ˈhɑn- /

adjective

1. inhabited or frequented by ghosts.

   a haunted castle.

2. preoccupied, as with an emotion, memory, or idea; obsessed.

   His haunted imagination gave him no peace.

3. disturbed; distressed; worried.

   Haunted by doubt he again turned to law books on the subject.

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haunted British  

/ ˈhɔːntɪd /

adjective

1. frequented or visited by ghosts

2. (postpositive) obsessed or worried

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Other Word Forms

• unhaunted adjective

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

While Japan was long haunted by deflation, it has more recently faced a surge in living costs.

From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026

The writer left his native Ireland when he was a young man, but the nation’s struggle for independence haunted the fiction he wrote in exile.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

I am haunted by the questions I should have asked and the clues that I missed.

From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026

But Google Maps, itself seemingly haunted, insisted the boxy plant off of Highway 17 was Griffin’s.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

Gautier could have written this about almost any painting—he was haunted by dozens.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

Related Words

• obsessed