What does haunted mean?
Haunted most commonly describes a place believed to be visited or inhabited by ghosts and spirits, as in “a haunted house.” It can also describe a person who is deeply and persistently troubled by guilt, grief, anxiety, shame, or memories, as in “haunted by the past.” These figurative uses often suggest that something is difficult to escape or dismiss. A third, less common sense refers to being visited frequently, especially by a person, place, or memory; this sense is now largely literary or archaic. Although haunted is now most often treated as an adjective, it is also the past tense and past participle of the verb haunt. The word carries a strong association with folklore, fear, and the supernatural, but its emotional and psychological uses are equally prominent in modern English.
Believed to be visited or inhabited by ghosts or spirits; figuratively, persistently troubled by guilt, anxiety, painful memories, or another distressing thought.
"The innkeeper claimed that every room in the old hotel was haunted."
The figurative sense is often used with “by,” as in “haunted by guilt” or “haunted by memories.”
To be visited or inhabited repeatedly by a spirit or ghost; figuratively, to persist in someone's thoughts with troubling intensity.
"According to local legend, the bride haunted the staircase long after the wedding."
This is the past tense and past participle of haunt. The psychological use is especially common: “guilt haunted her.”
Before it meant ghost-struck, “haunted” meant frequently visited; its spooky sense developed from the idea of spirits repeatedly returning to a place.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does haunted come from?
Haunted developed in late Middle English from Anglo-French and Old French hanter, meaning “to visit often” or “frequent,” ultimately tracing to a Germanic root. The original sense of being frequently visited gradually became associated with spirits returning to places or people, producing the modern supernatural sense. English hunt, hunter, and hunting belong to the same broad Germanic etymological family, while haunt and haunter preserve forms closer to the historical stem used in the borrowing.
How haunted is actually used
The ghost-related sense is the dominant everyday meaning. The figurative sense is common in both formal and informal English, while the older sense of being frequently visited is now mainly literary or archaic.
Easily confused with haunted
A haunted place is associated with ghosts or persistent distress, whereas a hunted person or animal is being pursued.
Haunted means visited by spirits or troubled by a persistent thought, while wanted means desired or sought by the authorities.