poltergeists

noun

plural of poltergeist
as in spirits
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of poltergeists There are newspaper clippings, from the 1950s through to the 2000s, concerning ghost sightings, or reports of poltergeists in market towns or children who appear to possess uncanny extrasensory powers. — Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poltergeists
  1. spirits
  2. ghosts
  3. apparitions
Noun
  • An emphasis on local artisans can be seen in everything from the restaurant’s clay tableware to the spirits used in The Bar’s impressive craft cocktail list.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • While looks at the show leaned into the designer’s ethereal, romantic spirits, this was also an exercise in literary self-portraiture.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of spirits
Noun
  • After being acquitted on a technicality, the former leader encounters the ghosts of Mayan genocide victims as protests break out throughout the country in response to the verdict.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • As life moves on, ghosts remain The suit against Fox filed by Zakrzewski's widow, Michelle Ross-Stanton, is still winding its way through the British legal system.
    — David Folkenflik, NPR, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of ghosts
Noun
  • That is, until miraculous apparitions turn it into a place to be.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • Today, the massive complex attracts paranormal investigators who report apparitions, voices, and other unexplained phenomena.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
Definition of apparitions

Browse Nearby Words

poltergeist
poltergeists
poltroon
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Cite this Entry

“Poltergeists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poltergeists. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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