haunting

[hawn-ting, hahn-]

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

/ ˈhɔːntɪŋ /

adjective

1. (of memories) poignant or persistent

2. poignantly sentimental; enchantingly or eerily evocative

Other Word Forms

• hauntingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of haunting¹

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; haunt, -ing ², -ing ¹

Example Sentences

There is still plenty of plastic haunting this roomy space.

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Lastly, the haunting 2½-minute “Elegie” salutes Jimi Hendrix and is delivered in three verses: “There must be something I can dream tonight / The air is filled with the moves of you.”

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The Oscars’ international feature class of 2026 includes sweeping epics, intense thrillers, black comedies and haunting dramas, but three submissions put young female performers at the forefront.

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She put it to the back of her mind for a while, despite thinking it was a sign, but it crept back up: “It kept haunting me that this was something I should do.”

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The specter of the bond market—and the ghost of the lettuce—are still haunting European politics.

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Related Words

• eerie 
• memorable 
• nostalgic 
• spooky