Haunt — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈhȯnt/

Meaning & Definition of Haunt

Haunt (verb)

  1. to visit or inhabit
  2. to visit often, frequent
  3. to continually seek the company of

Haunt (noun)

  1. a place habitually frequented
  2. ghost

Haunt (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to go to or spend time in often

    "much of her time is spent haunting antique shops in search of unique knobs for the curio cabinets she builds"

    similar: affect, frequent, habituate, hang (at), resort (to), visit
    related: patronize, attend, take in, infest, invade, overrun, swarm, call (on or upon), drop by, drop in, pop (in), run (in), stop (by or in), camp (out in), sojourn (at), stay (at), stop (over), tarry (in)
    opposite: avoid, shun
    near: dodge, duck, elude, escape, eschew, evade, shake

Haunt (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a place for spending time or for socializing

    "one of their favorite after-school haunts is Joe's Pizza"

    similar: hangout, purlieu, rendezvous, resort, stamping ground, stomping ground
    related: camp, canteen, club, clubhouse, country club, key club, service club, union, harbor, harborage, haven, nest, refuge, retreat, sanctuary

  2. the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people

    "we heard the local tales of a haunt in the choir loft and of a specter in the graveyard"

    similar: apparition, bogey, familiar spirit, ghost, hant (dialect), materialization, phantasm, phantom, poltergeist, shade, shadow, specter, spirit, spook, sprite, vision, visitant, wraith
    related: angel, daimon, familiar, genie, genius, jinni, shaitan, double, doppelgänger, fetch, lemures, manes, incubus, lamia, succubus, vampire, zombie, cacodemon, demon, devil, fiend, ghoul, imp

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Haunt

The most common words with a similar meaning to Haunt:

Dialect: hant
affect, frequent, habituate, hang (at), resort (to), visit, hangout, purlieu, rendezvous, resort, stamping ground, stomping ground, apparition, bogey, familiar spirit, ghost, materialization, phantasm, phantom, poltergeist, shade, shadow, specter, spirit, spook, sprite, vision, visitant, wraith

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Haunt

Words with the opposite meaning of Haunt:

avoid, shun

Related Words for Haunt

patronize, attend, take in, infest, invade, overrun, swarm, call (on or upon), drop by, drop in, pop (in), run (in), stop (by or in), camp (out in), sojourn (at), stay (at), stop (over), tarry (in), camp, canteen, club, clubhouse, country club, key club, service club, union, harbor, harborage, haven, nest

Near Antonyms of Haunt

dodge, duck, elude, escape, eschew, evade, shake

Word Forms of Haunt

Inflections: haunted, haunting, haunts

Derived words: haunter (noun), hauntingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Haunt

Middle English haunten, hanten "to frequent, frequent the company of, dwell in, engage in, practice (a vice or virtue), perform," borrowed from Anglo-French hanter, haunter (also continental Old French), of uncertain origin

First known use: 14th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Haunt

Words & Phrases Containing Haunt

come back to haunt

Frequently Asked Questions about Haunt

What does "Haunt" mean?

"Haunt" means to visit or inhabit. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to visit or inhabit. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Haunt"?

Other words for "Haunt" include affect, frequent, habituate, hang (at), resort (to), visit, hangout and purlieu. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Haunt" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Haunt"?

There are 86 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Haunt". Common alternatives include affect, frequent, habituate, hang (at), resort (to), visit, hangout, purlieu, rendezvous and resort.

What is the opposite of "Haunt"?

Antonyms of "Haunt" include avoid and shun. Near antonyms include dodge, duck, elude and escape.

How do you use "Haunt" in a sentence?

Examples of "Haunt" in a sentence: "much of her time is spent haunting antique shops in search of unique knobs for the curio cabinets she builds"; "one of their favorite after-school haunts is Joe's Pizza"; "we heard the local tales of a haunt in the choir loft and of a specter in the graveyard".

Is "Haunt" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Haunt" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Haunt" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Haunt" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Haunt"?

"Haunt" is pronounced /ˈhȯnt/.