English Reference

Word

haunting

Phoneticshaunt·ing

US/ˈhɔntɪŋ/

UK/hˈɔːntɪŋ/

Definition

adj. beautiful or sad in a way that you cannot forget.

adj. evocative of a poignant or melancholy emotion; persistent in the memory.

Examples

“The singer has a haunting voice.”

“The abandoned house had a haunting beauty that made me want to take photos.”

“The film's haunting score lingered in my mind long after the credits rolled, perfectly capturing the protagonist's sense of isolation.”

Examples

simple

“The singer has a haunting voice.”

contextual

“The abandoned house had a haunting beauty that made me want to take photos.”

complex

“The film's haunting score lingered in my mind long after the credits rolled, perfectly capturing the protagonist's sense of isolation.”

Real-World Examples

“In the film, as far as I am able to tell, Cathy has died and her ghost starts haunting Heathcliff to the point that he starts murdering everyone.”
The Guardian · 17 Sept 2026
“Yet the most haunting remained Mok, the dead lowland gorilla.”
Aeon · 8 Sept 2026

Synonyms

Antonyms

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference