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
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Recent Examples of poltergeist
The vocals are ghastly, like poltergeists speaking from the beyond, trying to convey some hazy message the mortals can’t decipher.
—
Aaron Gilbreath, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
Does a person accept, say, poltergeists, but not extrasensory perception?
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
The poltergeist feature from director Craig Johnson (The Skeleton Twins) is set to begin streaming via Max on March 13.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Houses have always been haunted, but, whereas poltergeists of yore troubled the suburban idyll of white America, in these shows the scariest spectre is a disappearing profit margin.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poltergeist
Aaron Gilbreath, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
Does a person accept, say, poltergeists, but not extrasensory perception?
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
The poltergeist feature from director Craig Johnson (The Skeleton Twins) is set to begin streaming via Max on March 13.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Houses have always been haunted, but, whereas poltergeists of yore troubled the suburban idyll of white America, in these shows the scariest spectre is a disappearing profit margin.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poltergeist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poltergeist
Noun
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His voice is the ghost in the machine, a strangely humane presence amid all the urban-industrial pastoral.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
25 Apr. 2025
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In the epic fifth and final season, Joe Goldberg returns to New York to enjoy his happily ever after… until his perfect life is threatened by the ghosts of his past and his own dark desires.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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For much of its history, the Church has had to defend itself against accusations that levitations, apparitions, and other miracles were not the work of God but that of the devil.—
Emily Harnett,
Harpers Magazine,
28 Mar. 2025
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Todd, the neighbor, even the strange apparitions are obfuscated simply because of their height, which adds to the eerieness of Indy’s experience but also makes Indy’s recognition of Todd’s voice all the more emotional.—
Rafael Motamayor,
IndieWire,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Will the new pope revive a more conservative approach to the church or stay in the modern spirit of Francis? The coming days will tell.—
Greg Palkot,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Over time, this becomes a powerful language between you and your spirit.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping algorithm, which can create a phantom 5.1.4 system or higher from just four speakers, inspired vivid sonic immersion.—
Ryan Waniata,
Wired News,
2 Apr. 2025
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To combat such phantoms, Georgian Dream has passed new legislation that criminalizes assembly and protest.—
Anastasiya Zavyalova,
The Conversation,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poltergeist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poltergeist. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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