paranormal

adjective

para·​nor·​mal ˌper-ə-ˈnȯr-məl 

ˌpa-rə-;

ˈper-ə-ˌnȯr-,

ˈpa-rə-

: not scientifically explainable : supernatural

paranormal noun

paranormality

ˌper-ə-ˌnȯr-ˈma-lə-tē 

ˌpa-rə-

noun

paranormally

ˌper-ə-ˈnȯr-mə-lē 

ˌpa-rə-;

ˈper-ə-ˌnȯr-

ˈpa-rə-

adverb

Synonyms

• metaphysical
• otherworldly
• preternatural
• supernatural
• transcendent
• transcendental
• unearthly

Examples of paranormal in a Sentence

there are rumors that the old deserted mansion is the site of paranormal activity

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet Presence is more a domestic drama than a tale of paranormal activity. —Elissa Suh, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2025

Ghost Tour: Explore the town’s haunted streets and listen to eerie stories about its mining history and paranormal activity. —Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 3 Jan. 2025

Destinations of the Damned sends documentary crews to capture true tales of twisted terror, local lore and deeply disturbing paranormal activity at doomed locations. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 13 Dec. 2024

Wolff had written paranormal fiction before, but love stories were her O.T.P., her one true pairing. —Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing paranormal

• the paranormal

Medical Definition

paranormal

adjective

para·​nor·​mal ˌpar-ə-ˈnȯr-məl 

: not understandable in terms of known scientific laws and phenomena

experiments in paranormal cognition of drawings

—Psychological Abstracts

paranormally

-ē 

adverb