Haunt
/hɔːnt/
Haunt means to frequently appear as a ghost, to persistently trouble someone emotionally, or to regularly visit a place.
Examples
- They avoided the attic because it had been haunted for years.
- He claimed the forest was haunted by lost travelers.
- Celebrities often haunt exclusive nightclubs.
- He haunted the jazz bars of New Orleans.
- Regret haunted her long after the decision.
Meanings
Originally meant 'to frequent' or 'to visit often', especially in a predatory way, like hunting. Over time, it evolved to describe ghosts 'visiting' places, giving it a supernatural connotation.
Examples
- The old mansion is said to be haunted by a woman in white.
- She felt as though the past haunted her every decision.
- Strange noises haunted the basement at night.
- He claimed the forest was haunted by lost travelers.
- They avoided the attic because it had been haunted for years.
The idea of something 'hunting' a person evolved into the metaphor of a memory or emotion that won't leave, like a ghost. By the 19th century, it was widely used for psychological persistence.
Examples
- The image of the accident haunted him for years.
- Regret haunted her long after the decision.
- Memories of war haunt many veterans.
- The song haunts the soundtrack of my childhood.
- Failure had haunted his career since the beginning.
In the 13th century, 'haunt' meant to frequent or be familiar with a place. This non-supernatural use predates the ghostly sense and remains in modern slang.
Examples
- They haunt the same coffee shop every morning.
- Celebrities often haunt exclusive nightclubs.
- Students haunt the library before exams.
- He haunted the jazz bars of New Orleans.
- The artist had haunted the museum for inspiration.