haunt

/hɔːnt/ (bre, ipa) · /hɔːnt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhȯnt ˈhänt/ (ame, mw) · /hɑːnt/ (ame, ipa)

haunt — 動詞

  • hauntpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • hauntshe / she / it
  • hauntedpast simple
  • haunting-ing form

1. A painful memory, past mistake, or fear haunts someone when it repeatedly return

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

困擾

令人長期感到痛苦或焦慮

A painful memory, past mistake, or fear haunts someone when it repeatedly returns to their thoughts and causes sadness or worry.

例句

Years after the car accident, the sound of breaking glass still haunts Chiara.

車禍多年後，玻璃碎裂的聲音仍困擾著 Chiara。

memory + still haunt + person

A careless remark she made in her youth came back to haunt Ravindra decades later.

她年輕時隨口說出的一句話，幾十年後反過來困擾著 Ravindra。

come back to haunt [someone] (idiomatic pattern)

同義詞
  • torment

    Stronger and more intense; suggests active infliction of mental pain

  • plague

    Emphasises constant annoyance or trouble, often with a sense of inevitability

  • trouble

    Milder; a general word for causing worry without the lingering, repeated quality of 'haunt'

反義詞
  • comfort

    To give someone a feeling of peace or reassurance

  • reassure

    To remove someone's fears or doubts

文法句型

haunt + person

haunt + person + for + time

come back to haunt + person

用法筆記

Subject is typically a negative experience, memory, fear, or regret. A happy memory would not 'haunt' someone — the word always carries a sad or anxious tone.

常見錯誤

❌The difficult exam haunted me for a few minutes.
✅The difficult exam worried me for a few minutes.
💡'haunt' suggests the thought returns repeatedly over a long period, not just brief worry.
❌The beautiful sunset haunted me all evening.
✅The beautiful sunset stayed in my mind all evening.
💡'haunt' is used for unpleasant thoughts, not pleasant ones.

2. If a ghost or spirit haunts a building or outdoor area, people believe it can be

2.動詞及物B1
釋義

出沒

鬼魂反覆出現於某處

If a ghost or spirit haunts a building or outdoor area, people believe it can be seen or felt there, usually at night or under mysterious conditions.

例句

Local legend says the ghost of a pirate haunts the old inn by the harbour.

當地傳說，一名海盜的鬼魂在港邊的老旅館出沒。

ghost of [person] haunts [place]

The abandoned hospital on the hill is said to be haunted by former patients.

據說山丘上那間廢棄醫院有過世病患的鬼魂出沒。

passive with infinitive: is said to be haunted by

同義詞
  • appear in

    Neutral, factual language without supernatural weight

  • inhabit

    More formal; can be used for ghosts or for living creatures occupying a space

反義詞
  • flee

    To leave a place quickly, the opposite of lingering as a presence

文法句型

haunt + place

be haunted by + ghost

用法筆記

Frequently used in passive form ('be haunted by'). Common in ghost stories, local legends, and descriptions of old or abandoned buildings. The related adjective 'haunted' is very common in this sense.

常見錯誤

❌The ghost haunted in the hallway for a moment.
✅The ghost haunts the old mansion.
💡'haunt' describes a ghost's repeated presence in a place, not a single brief appearance.

3. To go to a particular place very regularly, either because you enjoy being there

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

常去

頻繁造訪某地

To go to a particular place very regularly, either because you enjoy being there or as part of your daily routine.

例句

During his student years, Yan haunted the city galleries, studying each painting for hours.

求學期間，Yan 常去市區的畫廊，每幅畫都仔細端詳好幾個小時。

haunt + place + purpose clause

The bookshop near the station was once haunted by Beatrix and her classmates after school.

車站附近那家書店，以前是 Beatrix 和同學們放學後常去的地方。

passive: be haunted by + group of people

同義詞
  • frequent

    More formal and neutral; suitable for both writing and formal speech

  • patronize

    Specifically means visiting as a customer of a business; slightly formal

反義詞
  • avoid

    To stay away from a place deliberately

文法句型

haunt + place

be haunted by + group of people

用法筆記

Slightly old-fashioned or literary in modern English. More common in written narratives than everyday conversation. In casual speech, 'frequent' or 'visit regularly' is more natural.

常見錯誤

❌I haunt that cafe every morning.
✅I go to that cafe every morning.
💡In this sense, 'haunt' sounds dated or literary in everyday conversation.

haunt — 名詞