as in spectral
of or relating to a ghost
A ghostly figure appears in the house at night.
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Recent Examples of ghostly
Just outside Rhyolite is the Goldwell Open Air Museum, where life-sized ghostly figures and colorful sculptures create a surreal and eerie contrast against the desert backdrop.
—
Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2026
Trilogy is disturbing and alluring, with its ghostly production and chillingly misanthropic undercurrent.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
The book’s heroine, Catherine Morland, is an avid reader of the popular novels of the day, and has a specific fondness for Ann Radcliffe’s real-life 1794 best seller, The Mysteries of Udolpho, a tale of ghostly figures and hidden manuscripts.
—Erin Somers, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
Observers in Greenland's Scoresby Sund, Iceland's Reykjanes and Snæfellsnes peninsulas, and the Spanish cities of Leon, Burgos and Valladolid will be within the path and see the sun's ghostly corona.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ghostly
Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2026
Trilogy is disturbing and alluring, with its ghostly production and chillingly misanthropic undercurrent.
—Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
The book’s heroine, Catherine Morland, is an avid reader of the popular novels of the day, and has a specific fondness for Ann Radcliffe’s real-life 1794 best seller, The Mysteries of Udolpho, a tale of ghostly figures and hidden manuscripts.
—Erin Somers, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026
Observers in Greenland's Scoresby Sund, Iceland's Reykjanes and Snæfellsnes peninsulas, and the Spanish cities of Leon, Burgos and Valladolid will be within the path and see the sun's ghostly corona.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ghostly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ghostly
Adjective
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This research acts like a cosmic linguist, analyzing subtle spectral signatures to give us unprecedented insight into how these powerful, yet often hidden, forces influence star birth, sculpt galactic gas and orchestrate the evolution of galaxies.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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Her spectral costume featured a stark white dress and white body paint. Ebenezer, due to come out later this year, will mark Depp's first project in over five years.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Scientists documented a rare giant phantom jellyfish, whose arms can reach up to 10 meters (33 feet) — about the size of a school bus.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
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These phantom costs drive up annual premiums.—
Washington Post,
Washington Post,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ghostly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ghostly. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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