ghosting
ghosting Lexical Profile
ghosting Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The practice of abruptly ending a personal or professional relationship with someone by withdrawing from all communication without explanation.
"Recruiters noted a sharp increase in ghosting among job applicants who stopped responding after their initial interviews."
The appearance of a faint secondary image or visual echo on a television, monitor, or printed surface due to signal interference or residual ink.
"Adjusting the monitor's refresh rate helped eliminate the annoying ghosting during fast-moving video scenes."
• verb
To abruptly end a personal or professional relationship with someone by cutting off all communication without explanation (present participle of ghost).
"She realized he was ghosting her after her messages went unanswered for two weeks."
To move or glide silently, smoothly, and effortlessly like an apparition (present participle of ghost).
"The sailboat was ghosting across the calm harbor in the faint evening breeze."
• Rhymes for ghosting
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed from the verb 'ghost' plus '-ing'; the technical sense referring to double images on television screens arose in the mid-20th century, while the social sense of abruptly cutting off communication emerged in the early 2000s alongside online dating and messaging apps.