ghost town

noun

: a once-flourishing town wholly or nearly deserted usually as a result of the exhaustion of some natural resource

Examples of ghost town in a Sentence

After all the gold was mined, the place became a ghost town.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There has been much similar chatter this week after the sports landscape witnessed a virtual ghost town at the USC opener against San José State Saturday at the Coliseum. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 The town’s prosperity ended during the Great Depression, when the cotton industry collapsed, and Gruene soon became a ghost town. — Gabi De La Rosa, Travel + Leisure, 31 Aug. 2026 Three decades removed, Westwood is still a cinematic ghost town that passionate film lovers are trying to revive. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2026 The lake's receding waters are also uncovering ghost towns flooded when the Hoover Dam was built, along with prehistoric salt mines. — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ghost town

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ghost town was in 1894

Rhymes for ghost town

See All Rhymes for ghost town

Browse Nearby Words

ghost story
ghost town
ghost word
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ghost town.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghost%20town. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ghost town

noun
: a town deserted because some natural resource has been used up
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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