ghosting

noun

ghost·​ing ˈgō-stiŋ How to pronounce ghosting (audio)
1
: a faint double image on a television screen or other display
also : the formation of such images
Such displays tend to suffer from ghosting, which shows up as extraneous lines on screen. Consumer Reports
2
informal : the act or practice of abruptly cutting off all contact with someone (such as a former romantic partner) usually without explanation by no longer accepting or responding to phone calls, instant messages, etc.
Romeo one minute, where'd he go the next? Ghosting is when you go poof and literally disappear out of someone's life without a word or explanation.Samantha Burns
"It's the fear of missing out on the thing, or person, that is coming next. … It may be a little mean, but we're dating; it's not like we're in a relationship," said one anonymous online dater in defense of ghosting.Chelsea Frisbie
see also ghost entry 2 sense 3

Examples of ghosting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Be prepared, rejection stings more when jobs are scarce, and employer ghosting is all too common. Jack Kelly, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025 Some suggested that job ghosting is not necessarily malicious but rather a result of job application burnout. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025 Swiping, ghosting, and endless conversations that rarely materialize into real-life dates have left people burned out and disillusioned. Skye Battles, WIRED, 14 Feb. 2025 The left edge hosts a SIM/expansion slot, volume buttons and a screen refresh button (to clear the image of any ghosting). New Atlas, 4 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ghosting

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ghosting was in 1919

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Cite this Entry

“Ghosting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghosting. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

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