ghosts 1 of 2

noun

plural of ghost
1
as in spirits
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people looked for ghosts in the graveyard on Halloween

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2
as in damns
the smallest amount or part imaginable she may be a good endurance runner, but she doesn't stand a ghost of a chance of winning in a sprint

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3
as in relics
a tiny often physical indication of something lost or vanished the down-at-the-heels town house is but a ghost of the neighborhood's former grandeur

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4
as in demons
an evil spirit the vengeful ghosts of seamen who were deliberately shipwrecked upon these shores

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ghosts

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of ghost
as in tiptoes

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ghosts
Noun
The runway ghosts This shift in Halloween’s long-term relevance has been dominated by the vintage sector as gay Halloween ups the caliber of IYKYK references. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026 In 2026, the gemlike Brooklyn venue lent Kushner’s project a magical quality, turning the audience into ghosts from the future, eavesdropping on the fall of the Weimar Republic but unable to intervene. — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026 The Halloween season reminds us of ghosts, spirits and ancestors. — Ashton Verdery, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2026 Hayride staff chaperones encouraged riders to look for eight ghosts among displays tucked in the nearby field and along the route. — Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 Pumpkin flowers, ghosts in cat-eye sunglasses, and bold checker-print accent nails all scream fun. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 22 Oct. 2026 The show, as the name implies, is a twist on the Charles Dickens classic, only here we are visited by the ghosts of Halloween past, present and future. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 His visits to his son’s tomb are accompanied by ghosts stuck in the bardo, or purgatory, who tell their own life stories and encourage both Willie and the President to move on. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026 From glittering ghosts, ghastly goblins and wicked witches to wily warlocks, fashion can inspire any Halloween transformation. — Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ghosts
  1. spirits
  2. hoots
  3. relics
  4. demons
  5. pads
  6. apparitions
  7. licks
  8. traces
Noun
  • The week will start dry and warmer than normal, but rain chances return Tuesday and could dampen Halloween spirits, with a 40% chance of rain Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
  • As the Commander of the crew, my main responsibilities were to make sure the crew was safe, in good health and spirits, getting along well and on top of their work.
    — Michaela Musilova, Space.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of spirits
Noun
  • Church bells, owl hoots and sprinklers keeping the grass hydrated during this dry spell fill the space between the occasional motor trudging along a main road devoid of commotion.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Ranging from the sound of emergency sirens and birds screeching to low grunts and guttural hoots, their vocalizations reverberate from a sanctuary in the hot, dry hills of the Santa Clarita Valley, north of Los Angeles.
    — Jaimie Ding, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of hoots
Noun
  • Among the relics of its decline is a hulking complex of rusted pipes, towers and conveyor belts in Delano, just five miles north of the McFarland chipping yard.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The landscape flowed in ridges and mountains of faded yellow and whisper pink, where welwitschia–large, low-lying plants that live to be hundreds of years old–sprawled like relics from a Dune film set.
    — Samantha Falewée, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of relics
Noun
  • Rest assured, the only demons in Phony appear to be figurative.
    — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
  • More specifically, this collision of AI in education and the resurgence of race demons makes for a precarious time in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computing (STEM) education.
    — Kamau Bobb October 21, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of demons
Verb
  • In other words, the additional money that our companies are shelling out to cover higher memory costs ultimately pads these three companies’ bottom lines.
    — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 21 June 2026
  • Adding the killer’s voice just pads an already too-long book.
    — Maren Longbella, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Definition of pads
Noun
  • That is, until miraculous apparitions turn it into a place to be.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • Today, the massive complex attracts paranormal investigators who report apparitions, voices, and other unexplained phenomena.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
Definition of apparitions
Noun
  • But for the most part, both are getting their points across, landing a few licks and, so far, avoiding the sort of major gaffe or damaging moment that could reshape the race.
    — AJC.com, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Shafee operates in a languid, free-form zone throughout, trading his funky licks for loose, spacious lines and tolling, repetitive chords.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of licks
Noun
  • Future geologists will see, everywhere, evidence of our Earth-System agency—the physical traces of a planet dominated by one species.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Either way, scientists anticipate finding traces of Mars on Phobos, making the samples an irresistible two-for-one that should help demystify planetary and moon formation.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of traces

Browse Nearby Words

ghostly
ghosts
ghostwriter
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Cite this Entry

“Ghosts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ghosts. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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