as in ghost
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people
we thought a poltergeist was knocking dishes off the shelves, but it turned out to just be vibrations from passing trains
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Recent Examples of poltergeist
For all of movie history’s great what-if casting coulda-beens, Beetlejuice might have the best of all of them: Burton wanted Sammy Davis Jr. to play the titular poltergeist.
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Will Leitch, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2024
In Louisville, they are regaled with tales of poltergeists like The Lady in Blue at the old Seelbach Hotel, once frequented by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Al Capone.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024
Lamorne Morris is a lovesick poltergeist in Ghosts first-look photos
08 of 20
House of the Dragon (2022–present)
Thankfully, Game of Thrones fans didn't have to wait long for another trip to Westeros.
—EW.com, 30 Sep. 2024
In 1548, Johannes Gast wrote about a Faust who had played tricks on a group of monks by introducing a poltergeist into the monastery.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for poltergeist 
Will Leitch, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2024
In Louisville, they are regaled with tales of poltergeists like The Lady in Blue at the old Seelbach Hotel, once frequented by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Al Capone.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024
Lamorne Morris is a lovesick poltergeist in Ghosts first-look photos
08 of 20
House of the Dragon (2022–present)
Thankfully, Game of Thrones fans didn't have to wait long for another trip to Westeros.
—EW.com, 30 Sep. 2024
In 1548, Johannes Gast wrote about a Faust who had played tricks on a group of monks by introducing a poltergeist into the monastery.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for poltergeist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poltergeist
Noun
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There will be more hiking through desolate, wide-open spaces, more ghosts, and, of course, more unhinged metamodern storytelling.Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
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Located on a former plantation, there are stories about the ghosts of enslaved people frequenting the area around the oak, contributing to its spiritual atmosphere.Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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There have been no sightings, no fleeting apparitions.David Ornstein, The Athletic, 6 Jan. 2025
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Harker’s lonely investigations are often interrupted by jump scares courtesy of dark apparitions with the silhouettes of nesting dolls.Beatrice Loayza, Vulture, 12 July 2024
Noun
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This shift in approach invites us to appreciate them on their own terms, free from the expectations of traditional spirits.Joseph Hernandez, Bon Appétit, 9 Jan. 2025
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Over 45 gallons of spirits, wine, and beer were served to 55 men in attendance.Christian Schneider, National Review, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Listen to this article San Diego Symphony organ curator Bob Knight will never be mistaken for the phantom of the opera.George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Jan. 2025
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This character is essentially a phantom to you until the very end of Elden Ring.Ashley Bardhan, Vulture, 17 June 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near poltergeist
Cite this Entry
“Poltergeist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poltergeist. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.
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