ghoul

noun

ˈgül 

1

: a legendary evil being that robs graves and feeds on corpses

2

: one suggestive of a ghoul

especially : one who shows morbid interest in things considered shocking or repulsive

Synonyms

• cacodemon
• demon
• daemon
• devil
• fiend
• ghost
• ghoulie
• imp
• shaitan

Examples of ghoul in a Sentence

in Arabic folklore, ghouls could change their shapes but had one unchanging feature: donkey's hooves for feet

Recent Examples on the Web

The ghouls who did this should be ashamed. —Washington Examiner Staff, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 20 Mar. 2025

Check out the Halloween decoration ideas below and get ready to unleash your inner ghoul. —Maria Correa, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025

Ledger ingeniously plays the Joker as a chaotic force of nature, a scarred and unknowable ghoul clad in clown paint and a garish suit from Demon's Wearhouse. —Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025

But according to Jason, his dad had some notes about the film’s inclusion of some of the ghouls from the 1984 original. —John Russell, People.com, 28 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Arabic ghūl

First Known Use

1721, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ghoul

• boule
• brule
• buhl
• cool
• drool
• fool
• mule
• pool
• poul
• rule
• school
• spool

Kids Definition

ghoul

noun

ˈgül 

1

: an evil being of legend that robs graves and feeds on corpses

2

: a person (as a grave robber) whose activities suggest those of a ghoul

ghoulish

ˈgü-lish 

adjective

ghoulishly adverb

ghoulishness noun