Ghostly: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to describe something that resembles or relates to ghosts or the spirit world; often used to evoke a sense of something being pale or ethereal.

• The ghostly figure hovered in the dim light.
• The empty house had a ghostly glow at night.

Describes something that causes an uncomfortable or creepy sensation because it is strange or unfamiliar.

• The forest was quiet, with an eerie silence that made my skin crawl.
• An eerie feeling washed over me as I walked through the abandoned town.

Often used in a lighter context, usually to describe something that is slightly scary or unnerving, but not in a seriously frightening manner.

• The old building looked spooky at night, but it was just a trick of the shadows.
• We told spooky stories around the campfire.

Refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature; often linked to magical or mythical events.

• She claimed to have supernatural abilities and could see the future.
• The movie was filled with supernatural events that defied explanation.

Describing something that resembles a ghost or evokes the feeling of being haunted. Often used to describe apparitions or things that are pale and otherworldly.

• The old house had a ghostly appearance at night
• Her face looked almost ghostly in the dim moonlight

Used when something is strange, mysterious, and slightly frightening. It conveys an unsettling feeling or atmosphere.

• The deserted town felt eerily quiet
• He found the silence in the forest eerily unsettling

Similar to 'eerily', but often used in a more light-hearted or playful way. Often describes something that is spooky or creepy in an amusing manner.

• The children laughed as they walked through the spookily decorated house
• The wind howled spookily through the trees on Halloween night