paranormal
Americanadjective
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of paranormal
Explanation
Use the adjective paranormal to talk about things that are outside of normal experience, like ESP, ghosts, and UFOs. You might describe your friend's uncanny ability to bend spoons with her mind as paranormal, or beyond a scientific explanation. While many people don't believe in any kind of paranormal events, there are those who see or hear things they can't explain rationally. The Greek word para, "against, or contrary to," is paired up with normal: if it goes against what's normal, you can probably describe it as paranormal.
Vocabulary lists containing paranormal
Friday the 13th
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Trowbridge Road
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Paola Santiago and the River of Tears
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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 her free time, Grohl is an avid lover of anything paranormal.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026
They swapped rooms but the stay was - sadly - uneventful in paranormal terms.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2025
“People would call in and give their accounts of all the paranormal sightings they would see,” she recalls.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2025
Not long after moving in, they discover the very grand house had a very troubling history of paranormal events.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2025
“Oh God, Charlie, she’s letting you read again! You went straight to the paranormal section, didn’t you?”
From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia
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.
