haunting
1 of 3noun
haunt·ing ˈhȯn-tiŋ 
ˈhän-
plural hauntings
: an act of haunting
especially : visitation or inhabitation by a ghost
… its early history is replete with drama: duels, murders, shipwrecks, … even ghostly hauntings. 
Sally Gibson
Sally Gibson When asked about hauntings on Tuesday's tour, [Albert] Walavich said he knew he would get a question about ghosts on Halloween, but he doesn't believe any haunt the grounds. Taylor Hartz
Taylor Hartz haunting
2 of 3adjective
: having qualities (such as sadness or beauty) that linger in the memory : not easily forgotten
a haunting melody
haunting images
… pale, branchless tree trunks with a haunting, Georgia O'Keeffe quality … Susannah Master
Susannah Masterhaunting
3 of 3present participle of haunt entry 1
Synonyms
Adjective
- creepy
- eerie
- eery
- spookish
- spooky
- uncanny
- unearthly
- weird
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, "frequenting a place, dwelling place," from haunten "to frequent, haunt entry 1" + -ing -ing entry 1
Adjective
from present participle of haunt entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Adjective
1823, in the meaning defined above
haunting 1 of 2
adjective
as in eerie
fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic the haunting tones of the Highland bagpipes Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- eerie
- eery
- creepy
- spooky
- weird
- uncanny
- unearthly
- ghostly
- terrifying
- mysterious
- spectral
- bizarre
- ghostlike
- ghoulish
- spookish
- unusual
- quirky
- ghastly
- enigmatic
- curious
- quaint
- horrifying
- supernatural
- odd
- peculiar
- metaphysical
- uncommon
- outlandish
- puzzling
- horrible
- inscrutable
- outré
- terrible
- queerish
- enigmatical
- dreadful
- preternatural
- fearsome
- unaccustomed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- common
- normal
- typical
- ordinary
- usual
- everyday
- routine
- commonplace
- prosaic
- natural
- familiar
- unremarkable
- unexceptional
- predictable
- expected
haunting
2 of 2verb
as in visiting
to go to or spend time in often much of her time is spent haunting antique shops in search of unique knobs for the curio cabinets she builds Synonyms & Similar Words
- visiting
- frequenting
- affecting
- habituating
- invading
- patronizing
- swarming
- hanging (at)
- resorting (to)
- infesting
- attending
- dropping in
- dropping by
- overrunning
- taking in
- stopping (in or by)
- stopping (over)
- camping (out in)
- staying (at)
- calling (on or upon)
- running (in)
- sojourning (at)
- popping (in)
- tarrying (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- avoiding
- shaking
- escaping
- evading
- eluding
- shunning
- dodging
- ducking
- eschewing