# haunted

/ˈhɔntɪd/ (US) · /hˈɔːntɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/haunted
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. ghostly presence

adjective · CEFR B2

describes a place that people believe is visited by ghosts.

For teachers: inhabited or frequented by ghosts or spirits.

- The children were too scared to go inside the haunted house at the end of the street.
- Local legends claim the haunted castle is still inhabited by the spirit of a knight who disappeared during the fourteenth century.

### 2. troubled or worried

adjective · CEFR B2

showing that you are very worried or upset by something from your past.

For teachers: showing signs of mental anguish or persistent preoccupation with a past trauma or difficult memory.

- He had a haunted look in his eyes after he returned from the war.
- The survivor's haunted expression suggested that the memories of the accident were still vivid and painful many years later.

## Examples

- Many people believe the old house on the hill is haunted.
- The abandoned asylum has a reputation for being haunted, drawing curious teenagers every Halloween.
- The veteran returned from the front lines with a haunted expression that suggested he was still reliving the traumatic events of the previous winter.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.