ghost town

noun

: a once-flourishing town wholly or nearly deserted usually as a result of the exhaustion of some natural resource

Examples of ghost town in a Sentence

After all the gold was mined, the place became a ghost town.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Arizona is full of ghost towns, ghost stories — ghosts, ghosts, ghosts. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 21 Oct. 2024 The bottom line: Despite the closures, new and recently opened businesses show the area is far from turning into a ghost town. Esteban L. Hernandez, Axios, 15 Oct. 2024 This is in sharp contrast to Chernobyl, where surrounding areas were completely deserted and reduced to ghost towns, many of which remain abandoned to this day. Kate Graham-Shaw, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2024 Though the imitation ghost town is among the most recognizable areas on the ranch, there are a number of other buildings and sets, including a two-story ranch house, a large red barn, a Spanish-style hacienda that dates to the 1900s, and a stationary four-car train. Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ghost town 

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ghost town was in 1894

Dictionary Entries Near ghost town

Cite this Entry

“Ghost town.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghost%20town. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

ghost town

noun
: a town deserted because some natural resource has been used up

More from Merriam-Webster on ghost town

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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