haunted

[ hawn-tid, hahn- ]

adjective

1. inhabited or frequented by ghosts:

   a haunted castle.

2. preoccupied, as with an emotion, memory, or idea; obsessed:

   His haunted imagination gave him no peace.

3. disturbed; distressed; worried:

   Haunted by doubt he again turned to law books on the subject.

haunted

/ ˈhɔːntɪd /

adjective

1. frequented or visited by ghosts
2. postpositive obsessed or worried

Other Words From

• un·haunted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of haunted¹

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; haunt, -ed ²

Example Sentences

Maybe she's also a stand-in for a nation perpetually haunted by the Troubles, the violent escalation between Northern Ireland's Catholics and Protestant loyalists through which “Say Nothing” travels.

From Salon

The entertainment segment’s operating income for the quarter totaled $1.1 billion, quadruple the same quarter a year earlier, which included the lackluster “Haunted Mansion.”

From Los Angeles Times

“This had haunted me for 70 years. The poor lady who phoned me, I felt sorry for her.”

From BBC

Up next, the actors suggest: A mashup of “The Office” and “Evil” where the Dunder Mifflin Paper Co. is haunted.

From Los Angeles Times

McLendon-Covey spoke to the Los Angeles Times about what she was looking for in a new part, haunted hospitals, and her love of playing a character with a pathetic personal life.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• obsessed