haunted

[hawn-tid, hahn-]

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.

haunted

/ ˈhɔːntɪd /

adjective

1. frequented or visited by ghosts

2. (postpositive) obsessed or worried

Other Word Forms

• unhaunted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of haunted¹

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; haunt, -ed ²

Example Sentences

At age 12, she said, she was impregnated by a staff member at MacLaren Children’s Center — an assault that has haunted her since the 1980s.

From Los Angeles Times

The hostel's rapid turnover of new migrants left the children reeling, and Nour haunted.

From BBC

I’ve spent the past 10 years working in the “haunted attraction industry,” a surprisingly booming economy built for people who love nothing more than to have their socks scared off.

From Salon

“I just remember sound effects — or specifically haunted mansion albums were just around. It was a little bit of a nagging whim. Like, ‘Huh, whatever happened to those?

From Los Angeles Times

We are indeed haunted by demons sent to divide us, while the man sitting on top of the pale horse is driving us to hell.

From Salon

Related Words

• obsessed