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Synonyms

paranormal

American  
[par-uh-nawr-muhl] / ˌpær əˈnɔr məl /

adjective

  1. of or relating to the claimed occurrence of an event or perception without scientific explanation, as psychokinesis, extrasensory perception, or other purportedly supernatural phenomena.


paranormal British  
/ ˌpærəˈnɔːməl /

adjective

  1. beyond normal explanation

"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

noun

  1. paranormal happenings generally

"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

  • paranormally adverb

Etymology

Origin of paranormal

First recorded in 1915–20; para- 1 + normal

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.

Is something paranormal afoot or is the rupture in Montessori’s mind?

From The Wall Street Journal

They swapped rooms but the stay was - sadly - uneventful in paranormal terms.

From BBC

“People would call in and give their accounts of all the paranormal sightings they would see,” she recalls.

From Los Angeles Times

Not long after moving in, they discover the very grand house had a very troubling history of paranormal events.

From The Wall Street Journal

The 2016 “Ghostbusters” reboot brings this same energy into the supernatural realm, with four women combating ghosts through the sciences and their combined savvy in matters of the paranormal.

From Salon