hauntingly
gb/hˈɔntɪŋli/ us/hˈɔntɪŋli/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
adverb
C1
property
1
in an eerie, evocative way
in a way that feels mysterious and strongly emotional
Usage pattern:
hauntingly + [adjective] / hauntingly + [verb]
Common mistake:
Don’t use it for ordinary fear; it usually suggests a powerful mood (often beautiful, sad, or eerie).
Synonyms
eerily (more clearly suggests something strange or spooky.)
|
evocatively (emphasizes bringing feelings or memories to mind.)
Antonyms
cheerfully (suggests a light, happy mood rather than an eerie or intense one.)
|
reassuringly (suggests comfort and safety, not unsettling atmosphere.)
Collocations
hauntingly beautiful
|hauntingly sad
|hauntingly quiet
|hauntingly silent
|hauntingly eerie
|hauntingly melodic
|hauntingly atmospheric
|hauntingly empty
|hauntingly realistic
|hauntingly clear
Themes
emotions
|arts
|describing_things
Examples
- Her voice was hauntingly beautiful, and the room went completely still.
- The abandoned playground looked hauntingly quiet at dusk.
- A single violin line rose hauntingly over the drums.
Learner examples
- The song sounds hauntingly sad.
- The house was hauntingly quiet.
adverb
C1
process
2
in a way that stays in memory
in a way you cannot forget
Usage pattern:
hauntingly + [adjective] (e.g., familiar) / [memory] returned hauntingly
Common mistake:
Not the same as 'frequently'; it means the memory/feeling keeps returning and affecting you.
Synonyms
memorably (neutral-positive; lacks the darker emotional tone.)
|
unforgettably (strong and direct; can be positive or negative.)
Antonyms
unmemorably (suggests it does not stay in your mind.)
|
forgettably (suggests it is easy to forget.)
Collocations
hauntingly familiar
|hauntingly vivid
|hauntingly memorable
|hauntingly clear
|hauntingly present
|hauntingly accurate
Themes
memory
|emotions
|psychology
Examples
- The smell of smoke was hauntingly familiar, and it pulled him back to that night.
- Years later, her last words still echoed hauntingly in his mind.
- The image of the empty street stayed hauntingly vivid.
Learner examples
- His face looked hauntingly familiar.
- The story stayed hauntingly in my mind.
Grammar
Dictionary form
hauntingly
IPA
GB/hˈɔntɪŋli/
US/hˈɔntɪŋli/
Syllables & stress
haunt - ingly (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (haunt)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: hauntingly
- Plural: hauntinglies
Word family
Forms
hauntinglies
noun
Core family
Expressions
hauntingly beautiful
1/hˈɔntɪŋli bjˈutɪfəl/
fixed phrase
beautiful in an eerie way
very beautiful in a mysterious, emotional way
Examples
- The film ends with a hauntingly beautiful shot of the coastline.
- They sang a hauntingly beautiful harmony in the final chorus.
- Snow fell in the streetlights, hauntingly beautiful and silent.
hauntingly familiar
1/hˈɔntɪŋli fəmˈɪljɚ/
fixed phrase
strangely hard to forget
familiar in a strong, slightly unsettling way
Examples
- The melody was hauntingly familiar, but she couldn’t place it.
- His handwriting looked hauntingly familiar to the detective.
- The scene felt hauntingly familiar, like a dream he’d already had.
hauntingly sad
1/hˈɔntɪŋli sˈæd/
fixed phrase
sad in a lingering way
very sad and hard to forget
Examples
- It’s a hauntingly sad story about a family separated by war.
- The final scene is hauntingly sad, even without any dialogue.
- A hauntingly sad tune drifted from the open window.