ghoulish

[ goo-lish ]

adjective

1. strangely diabolical or cruel; monstrous:

   a ghoulish and questionable sense of humor.

2. showing fascination with death, disease, maiming, etc.; morbid:

   ghoulish curiosity.

3. of, relating to, or like a ghoul or ghouls.

ˈghoulish

/ ˈɡuːlɪʃ /

adjective

1. of or relating to ghouls; morbid or disgusting; unhealthily interested in death

Derived Forms

• ˈghoulishness, noun
• ˈghoulishly, adverb

Other Words From

• ghoulish·ly adverb
• ghoulish·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ghoulish¹

First recorded in 1835–45; ghoul + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

As you fill up your candy bowl and carve your pumpkins in preparation for All Hallow’s Eve, it’s worth considering the risks that come with the ghoulish festivities and how to prepare for them.

From Los Angeles Times

At the end of the month, they will be carved up with a ghoulish grin to celebrate Halloween, a tradition that is becoming increasingly popular across the globe.

From Salon

Large helpings of camp and melodrama propel grisly tales of ghoulish behavior.

From Los Angeles Times

But perhaps the most cringe and egregious aspect of Tim Burton’s record-breaking fall blockbuster was the addition of a "Soul Train" segment, in a ghoulish riffing of the classic ’70s music television series.

From Salon

Holding the event nearly 10,000 miles from the epicenter of the Summer Games in Paris is a bold choice that has some safety-conscious experts shaking their heads and ghoulish spectators licking their chops.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cruel
• demonic
• devilish
• eerie
• frightening
• ghastly
• grim
• grisly
• gruesome
• horrible
• macabre
• morbid
• spooky