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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.

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

From BBC • Oct. 31, 2025

The Santa Ana native’s horror content also includes her AshleysFreakyFriday channel for paranormal tales, inspired by familial storytelling and “La Mano Peluda,” which was her grandfather’s favorite radio show.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 30, 2025

Neither story is new, nor do they differ greatly from other tales of paranormal outrage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 2, 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

Is it more strained than claims that the skepticism of onlookers systematically prevents the occurrence of certain paranormal phenomena?

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

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.