haunt
B2neutral, with a slightly literary connotation in its ghostly sense; common in everyday use for persistent thoughts or memories.
Definition
Meaning
to visit or inhabit a place repeatedly, especially as a ghost, or to cause persistent distress.
To be persistently or frequently present in a place, or to be continually and troublingly present in one's mind.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb has two primary senses: the supernatural (a ghost haunts a place) and the psychological (a memory or feeling haunts a person). The noun 'haunt' (a place frequently visited) is related but less common.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. The noun 'haunt' (favourite pub) is perhaps slightly more common in British English.
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] haunts [NP] (transitive)[NP] be haunted by [NP] (passive)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Come back to haunt someone”
- “Haunt someone's footsteps”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might be used metaphorically: 'The mistakes of the previous quarter continue to haunt the company's reputation.'
Academic
Used in literary analysis, psychology, and history: 'The trauma of the war haunted the nation's collective memory.'
Everyday
Common for troubling memories and ghost stories: 'That old house is said to be haunted.' 'His decision haunts him.'
Technical
Not typical, except in specific contexts like parapsychology or game design (haunted levels).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The pub is said to be haunted by a Victorian sailor.
- The memory of her failure still haunts her.
- He haunts the library every evening to study.
American English
- That decision could come back to haunt him during the election.
- The old cemetery is reportedly haunted.
- Fears of inflation continue to haunt investors.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable (no standard adverbial form for 'haunt').
American English
- Not applicable (no standard adverbial form for 'haunt').
adjective
British English
- She had a haunted expression after the accident.
- The haunted attraction at the theme park is very popular.
American English
- He looked haunted by the events of the past week.
- They toured a haunted mansion for Halloween.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The old castle is haunted.
- That song haunts me.
- The ghost of the king haunts the palace halls.
- Her mistakes from the past still haunt her.
- The image of the accident haunted him for years.
- That little cafe became our favourite haunt after work.
- The spectre of unemployment haunts the industrial towns of the region.
- Politicians are often haunted by promises they cannot keep.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a GHOST in a HOUSE (H-AUNT). A ghost haunts a house, and a bad memory haunts your mind like a ghost.
Conceptual Metaphor
A TROUBLING THOUGHT IS A GHOST; THE MIND IS A HAUNTED HOUSE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with the general 'visit' (посещать). 'Haunt' implies an unwelcome, persistent, or eerie presence. The noun 'haunt' (e.g., favourite haunt) cannot be directly translated as привидение (ghost).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'haunt' for a one-time visit. Incorrect: *'I haunted my friend last weekend.' Correct: 'I visited my friend.'
- Confusing adjective 'haunted' (looked troubled) with 'hunted' (pursued).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes a 'haunted look'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Very rarely. Its core connotation is of persistent, unwelcome presence. A 'fond memory' might 'linger', but it wouldn't typically 'haunt'.
Both can mean to visit often. 'Frequent' is neutral (e.g., frequent a bar). 'Haunt' adds a layer of persistence, often with a ghostly or troubling connotation. You 'frequent' a shop, but a ghost 'haunts' it.
It is neutral and appropriate in both formal and informal contexts. The ghostly sense is common in stories and informal talk, while the psychological sense is used in formal writing like news and academia.
It is a participial adjective, derived from the past participle of the verb 'haunt'. It describes the house as being subject to haunting.