apparition
noun
ap·pa·ri·tion
ˌa-pə-ˈri-shən 
1
a
: an unusual or unexpected sight : phenomenon
strange apparitions in the sky
b
: a ghostly figure
reported seeing ghostly apparitions in the old house
2
: the act of becoming visible : appearance
the apparition of sunlight through the window
Synonyms
Examples of apparition in a Sentence
an eccentric who claimed to have photographed an apparition in her very own house
Recent Examples on the Web
The lore goes that multiple apparitions haunt the area, including 16-year-old Frank Denvin, who fell head-first from a water slide into an empty cement tank in 1896, and two brothers who remain drawn to the dangerous currents.
—
Shawna Chen, Axios, 30 Oct. 2024
Just when Americans had all but forgotten about the senescent apparition haunting the Oval Office, Joe Biden wanders aimlessly in from the wings to remind the voting public of its resolve to usher him out of public life forever.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 23 Oct. 2024
In fact, the sequel considerably broadens the scope of the original by focusing on an international pop superstar (played by Naomi Scott) who gets hit with the demonic smiling apparitions while trying to mount a massive comeback tour after a horrible tragedy.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
For these homeowners, their experiences varied widely, and not every apparition had bad intentions.
—Michelle Mastro, Architectural Digest, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for apparition 
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.
Shawna Chen, Axios, 30 Oct. 2024
Just when Americans had all but forgotten about the senescent apparition haunting the Oval Office, Joe Biden wanders aimlessly in from the wings to remind the voting public of its resolve to usher him out of public life forever.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 23 Oct. 2024
In fact, the sequel considerably broadens the scope of the original by focusing on an international pop superstar (played by Naomi Scott) who gets hit with the demonic smiling apparitions while trying to mount a massive comeback tour after a horrible tragedy.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024
For these homeowners, their experiences varied widely, and not every apparition had bad intentions.
—Michelle Mastro, Architectural Digest, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for apparition
Articles Related to apparition
Dictionary Entries Near apparition
Cite this Entry
“Apparition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apparition. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
apparition
noun
ap·pa·ri·tion
ˌap-ə-ˈrish-ən
1
: an unusual or unexpected sight
2
: ghost
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share