plural noun
Ghosts are the spirits of dead people, believed to appear to living people.
Some people believe in ghosts.
The old house is rumored to be haunted by ghosts.
American English
How to pronounce ghosts
noun · verbB1Common word
GOHSTS
/goʊsts/
One syllable.
Form of ghost
Ghosts are the spirits of dead people, believed to appear to living people.
What to listen for
In natural connected speech, especially before another consonant, the /t/ in “ghosts” may be hard to hear, so it can sound like /goʊss/. Say /goʊsts/ when you pronounce the word clearly.
Meanings & examples
third-person singular verb
Someone ghosts another person when they suddenly stop replying and avoid contact, usually without saying why.
She ghosts me whenever I ask about our plans.
He ghosts people after a few messages.
Good to know
This use is informal and is common when talking about dating, friendships, and online messages.
third-person singular verb
Someone ghosts a book, speech, or other text when they write it for another person who is named as the author.
She ghosts speeches for the mayor.
He ghosts a memoir for a famous actor.
Useful expressions
a story about a ghost or ghosts
I love reading ghost stories.
a town with very few people living in it
The old mining town is now a ghost town.
to stop working or to die
My old printer finally gave up the ghost.