paranormal

adjective

para·​nor·​mal ˌper-ə-ˈnȯr-məl How to pronounce paranormal (audio)
ˌpa-rə-;
ˈper-ə-ˌnȯr-,
ˈpa-rə-
: not scientifically explainable : supernatural
paranormal noun
paranormality noun
paranormally
ˌper-ə-ˈnȯr-mə-lē How to pronounce paranormal (audio)
ˌpa-rə-;
ˈper-ə-ˌnȯr-
ˈpa-rə-
adverb

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 See all Example Sentences for paranormal 

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of paranormal was in 1905

Dictionary Entries Near paranormal

Cite this Entry

“Paranormal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paranormal. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Medical Definition

paranormal

adjective
para·​nor·​mal ˌpar-ə-ˈnȯr-məl How to pronounce paranormal (audio)
: not understandable in terms of known scientific laws and phenomena
experiments in paranormal cognition of drawingsPsychological Abstracts
paranormally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on paranormal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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