ghostly

adjective

ghost·​ly ˈgōst-lē How to pronounce ghostly (audio)
ghostlier; ghostliest
1
: of or relating to the soul : spiritual
2
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a ghost : spectral
ghostliness noun
ghostly adverb

Examples of ghostly in a Sentence

A ghostly figure appears in the house at night.
Recent Examples on the Web Also joining the ghostly gang: Jenna Ortega, who worked with the filmmaker on Wednesday, and Willem Dafoe, who somehow has never crossed professional paths with Burton until now. Ew Staff, EW.com, 5 Jan. 2024 So writes The Times’ Lila Seidman, describing the ghostly lake that formed in Death Valley following recent storms, shallow but deep enough for kayaking. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 However, one that has been a persistent ghostly presence is the vulnerability to brute-force attacks. Peter Barker, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 Some kind of ghostly thing is moving in the front window, apparently talking to someone (maybe you?). Dusty Parnell, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 As part of their investigation, authorities said a surveillance camera in the neighborhood provided a mysterious clue about who could have killed Becky: a ghostly figure on a bicycle patrolling the streets in the middle of the night. Ann Reynolds, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2024 Read on to learn all about the ghostly encounters of Lucy Hale, Keanu Reeves, Kristen Stewart, Matthew McConaughey and more stars. Lydia Price, Peoplemag, 22 Oct. 2023 Longtime Untrue fans will gravitate towards the ghostly vocals and shuffling beats, but proponents of Burial’s more abstract recent work should embrace the sprawl here, too. Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 2 Feb. 2024 Meanwhile, the scene in which Adam’s ghostly parents come into contact with the world outside the house offers one of the year’s best coups de cinéma. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ghostly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ghostly was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near ghostly

Cite this Entry

“Ghostly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghostly. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ghostly

adjective
ghost·​ly ˈgōst-lē How to pronounce ghostly (audio)
ghostlier; ghostliest
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a ghost
ghostliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ghostly

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