ghost
GOHST
/ɡoʊst/
To end a personal relationship with someone by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication.
A modern term specifically linked to digital communication (texting, social media).
The story behind the word. While the noun 'ghost' is ancient, the verb meaning 'to disappear from a relationship' only gained popularity around 2015. It perfectly captures the feeling of someone becoming a 'phantom'—present in your history but unreachable in the present.
Word relationships
- ignore: Ignore is general; ghosting is a total and permanent disappearance.
- abandon: Abandon is more physical; ghosting is more about communication.
- respond: To respond is to maintain contact; to ghost is to end it.
Commonly confused with
- haunt: To haunt is to stay around; to ghost is to disappear.
Word family
- ghosting (noun): The practice of ending a relationship by stopping all communication.
Collocations
- ghost someone
- get ghosted
Example sentences
- "They had been on three dates, but then he suddenly decided to ghost her." A modern dating scenario.
- "Being ghosted can be more painful than a direct breakup because of the lack of closure." Discussing the pain of digital rejection.
Memory hook
A ghost is invisible; someone who ghosts you becomes invisible. Ghost = Gone.
When not to use
Avoid in formal writing or legal contexts; use 'severed communication' instead.
Fun facts
- The term 'ghosting' was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2017.
Explore more words
ghosting, orbiting, apparition, disconnect, withdrawn, shadowban
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