ghosting

verb

Definition of ghostingnext
present participle of ghost
as in padding

Related Words

Relevance

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 ghosting The more often people talk about ghosting, the more people seem to ghost. — Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ghosting
  1. padding
  2. creeping
  3. edging
Verb
  • Several women’s World Tour teams have raised concerns that cyclists on rival teams are padding their sports bras to give them a boost in time trials, according to leading Dutch cycling news site, WielerFlits.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 4 Aug. 2026
  • After getting some quick sniffs in and padding around the yard for a while, Jimothy retreated into the bushes surrounding the yard.
    — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of padding
Verb
  • Audiences embraced the films for their creeping realism and slow-building scares, which transformed ordinary bedrooms, hallways and home security cameras into places where something terrifying might be lurking just outside the frame.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • That has sent oil prices creeping higher for weeks, edging closer to $100 a barrel.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of creeping
Verb
  • Bhegar Tamang’s daughter Yangri set off to buy goods from her local store in her Nepali village edging the border with China on Wednesday.
    — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Fulham are outplayed but given encouragement, going behind, clawing back, Josh King a dervish, behind again, edging back, seeing more of the ball and pushing for a draw.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of edging

Browse Nearby Words

ghosted
ghosting
ghostlike
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ghosting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ghosting. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All