Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

haunting

American  
[hawn-ting, hahn-] / ˈhɔn tɪŋ, ˈhɑn- /

adjective

  1. remaining in the consciousness; not quickly forgotten.

    haunting music; haunting memories.

noun

  1. the act of a person or thing that haunts; visitation.

haunting British  
/ ˈhɔːntɪŋ /

adjective

  1. (of memories) poignant or persistent

  2. poignantly sentimental; enchantingly or eerily evocative

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • hauntingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of haunting

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; 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.

"In its eloquence, wit and haunting bravery, he was inspirational."

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Just adjacent to the facility, still in operation today, is a haunting reminder of the past: the graves of more than 200 children who died in state custody.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

A concern haunting investors is that Apple appears to be easing into generative AI while rivals Google, Microsoft and OpenAI race ahead.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

Shot in richly textured black and white with a fixed camera, Rosi makes the region’s present look as if it’s always teetering on the edge of a haunting archival status.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

Still, the snapshot of the girl on the bike followed me, a haunting thing of beauty I knew would break around the next bend, sure as a glass slipping from my hand.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

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.