apparition

noun

ˌa-pə-ˈri-shən How to pronounce apparition (audio)
Definition of apparitionnext
as in ghost
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people an eccentric who claimed to have photographed an apparition in her very own house

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of apparition The music starts to shift beginning with the third episode, when Lestat becomes overwhelmed by the apparition of his abusive maker and other ghosts, including Claudia, whose killing he’d been forced to witness firsthand. — Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026 Reports of strange sounds, apparitions, and unexplained encounters continue to attract visitors. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026 Why then, when discussing body image after weight changes, is our culture reaching for the language of vexing apparitions and death? — Virgie Tovar, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026 That late-game run––forty-four points to the Cavs’ eleven––was as soul-crushing to Cleveland as the apparition of Willis Reed, hobbling to center court, had been to the Lakers fifty-six years ago. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 30 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for apparition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apparition
  1. ghost
  2. spirit
  3. phantom
Noun
  • From glittering ghosts, ghastly goblins and wicked witches to wily warlocks, fashion can inspire any Halloween transformation.
    — Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • There were earlier versions of this story that were openly mocking of Kip, versions that threw Leo under the bus for being too sly; versions that were too overtly political; versions with ghosts that didn’t need to be there, and so on.
    — Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of ghost
Noun
  • After all, many a good cause got its start from a spirit of noblesse oblige.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But the ending hints at the possibility that the spirit of Jason may have leapt into the youngster.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of spirit
Noun
  • Fadal brought up her own phantom smells during a recent podcast conversation with Andrea Donsky, a nutritionist who’s written about and conducted research on this symptom.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Both phantoms were packed with thousands of dosimeters, tracking radiation dose over specific phases of the flight rather than just a cumulative total.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of phantom

Browse Nearby Words

apparentness
apparition
apparitions
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Cite this Entry

“Apparition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apparition. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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