haunted

The word “haunted” means said of a place, believed to be regularly visited by a ghost. In plain terms, either a place with ghosts, or a person visibly weighed down by something upsetting from the past.

“Haunted” is pronounced HAWN-tihd (/ˈhɔːntɪd/ in IPA).

Here is “haunted” used in a sentence: “They spent the night in a supposedly haunted castle.”

“Haunted” is an adjective.

“Haunted” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Haunted” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: said of a place, believed to be regularly visited by a ghost.

Haunted specifically means a place is believed to be regularly visited by a ghost, while spooky is a broader, more casual word for anything that feels eerie or frightening. A house can look spooky without anyone believing it is actually haunted.

Yes; in its figurative sense, haunted describes a person who is deeply troubled or preoccupied, as if pursued by a persistent bad memory. This differs from the literal sense, in which a place is believed to be visited by a ghost.

A haunted place or person is troubled or visited by a ghost or memory that lingers from outside, whereas possessed implies a spirit has taken control from within. Haunted suggests a lingering presence; possessed suggests active control.

For places, common collocations include "haunted house," "haunted castle," and "haunted mansion." For the figurative sense, people speak of a "haunted look," "haunted eyes," or a "haunted expression" to describe visible inner distress.