poltergeist

noun

ˈpōl-tər-ˌgīst How to pronounce poltergeist (audio)
Definition of poltergeistnext
as in ghost
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people we thought a poltergeist was knocking dishes off the shelves, but it turned out to just be vibrations from passing trains

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 poltergeist But the ghosts seem to focus on Eleanor, who may have telekinetic powers and who may have had experiences with a poltergeist as a child. — Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 Some would argue that Presence is more drama with supernatural elements than horror, but this is a haunted-house movie filmed from the perspective of a poltergeist. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025 Valak first appears in The Conjuring 2, when the Warrens are in England, investigating the Enfield poltergeist — the case of a young girl allegedly experiencing a supernatural force taking over her body. — Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025 The Warrens are also famous for their investigation of a haunted house in Amityville, NY, and the 1980s Connecticut poltergeist case based on a Warren case, in which demonic possession was used unsuccessfully as a defense in a murder trial. — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for poltergeist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poltergeist
  1. ghost
  2. apparition
  3. spirit
Noun
  • The same applies to the Lake of Tears, which seemed really important when Jim’s ghost showed up to tell Ethan to find it.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • The English have to contend with not only the ghost of Maradona’s two goals, but also the altitude in Mexico City, which is about 7,350 feet above sea level.
    — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of ghost
Noun
  • Reports of strange sounds, apparitions, and unexplained encounters continue to attract visitors.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
  • Why then, when discussing body image after weight changes, is our culture reaching for the language of vexing apparitions and death?
    — Virgie Tovar, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
Definition of apparition
Noun
  • If American music in 1976 represented a collective, inquisitive, inventive American spirit of discovery, the semiquincentennial in the age of social media has become more about the individual identity.
    — Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • The spirit of a '90s summer vacation is alive and well in tropics-print caftans like this fresh-off-the-runway one from SHAN's SS27 Collection.
    — Katherine J Igoe, InStyle, 2 July 2026
Definition of spirit

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Pollyannas
poltergeist
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Cite this Entry

“Poltergeist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poltergeist. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on poltergeist

Nglish: Translation of poltergeist for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about poltergeist

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