ghostly

/ˈɡəʊstli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡəʊstli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgōst-lē/ (ame, mw)

ghostly — adjective

1. having a pale, thin, or see-through appearance so that someone or something look

1.形容詞B2
釋義

having a pale, thin, or see-through appearance so that someone or something looks like a ghost and does not seem fully real

例句

Lien's face had a ghostly whiteness after her long stay in the hospital.

collocation: ghostly whiteness / ghostly paleness

A ghostly light shone through the fog as the ship passed the old lighthouse.

collocation: ghostly light

同義詞
  • spectral

    more formal and technical; often used in scientific or literary contexts to describe something that looks like a ghost

  • pale

    simpler and more common; only covers the colour aspect, not the transparent or unreal quality

  • eerie

    focuses on the feeling of fear or unease rather than a specific visual appearance

反義詞
  • solid

    firm and clearly real, the opposite of transparent and unreal

  • vivid

    bright, strong, and clear in colour — the opposite of pale

文法句型

ghostly + noun (figure, light, face, shape)

be + ghostly

用法筆記

Commonly used with visual nouns: a person's face or skin, light, figure, shape, shadow, or mist. The sense always carries a suggestion that the thing looks unreal or unnatural.

常見錯誤

❌We stayed in a ghostly old hotel by the sea.
✅We stayed in a creepy old hotel by the sea.
💡ghostly describes a visual quality (pale, see-through), not the general atmosphere of a place; use 'creepy' or 'haunted' instead.
❌His ghostly voice told us scary stories.
✅His voice was low and spooky as he told us scary stories.
💡ghostly for a voice refers to faintness (sense 2), not scariness.

2. so quiet, distant, or broken up that it is hard to hear clearly — used for sound

2.形容詞B2
釋義

so quiet, distant, or broken up that it is hard to hear clearly — used for sounds such as voices, whispers, echoes, or music

例句

From the next room came a ghostly whisper that Adina could not understand.

pattern: ghostly + whisper / voice / sound

The old radio picked up a ghostly voice that faded in and out of range.

同義詞
  • faint

    more common and general; can describe any quiet sound without the supernatural connotation

  • muffled

    describes a sound blocked by something (a wall, a door) rather than naturally distant

  • indistinct

    focuses on the lack of clarity rather than the low volume

反義詞
  • clear

    easy to hear every part of the sound

  • loud

    strong enough in volume to hear without effort

文法句型

ghostly + noun (voice, whisper, sound, echo, music)

用法筆記

Only used for sounds. Can describe a voice that is barely audible, a radio signal that breaks up, or distant music. Not used for sounds that are loud but scary — use 'eerie' or 'spooky' for that.

常見錯誤

❌The ghostly music was very loud at the concert.
✅Ghostly music came from the old radio across the room.
💡ghostly describes faintness, not scariness or supernatural content.