Meaning & use
apparition
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Meanings
nouncountable
A ghostly or unexpected figure that appears suddenly, often seeming supernatural.
Grammar: Countable: an apparition, two apparitions.
Patterns
- see an apparition
- an apparition appears
- an apparition of someone
The villagers claimed to see an apparition near the old church.
An apparition in white appeared at the foot of the bed.
He described the apparition as a woman in old-fashioned clothes.
nouncountableliterary
Something that suddenly appears and is strange or surprising.
Grammar: Often used in literary or formal writing.
Patterns
- an apparition of something
- a strange apparition
A strange apparition rose from the mist.
The ship appeared as an apparition on the horizon.
Word forms
| plural | apparitions |
|---|
Common combinations
- a ghostly apparition
- A ghostly apparition floated through the hallway.
- see an apparition
- She claimed to have seen an apparition in the garden.
- an apparition appears
- Suddenly an apparition appeared before them.
- dismiss something as an apparition
- He dismissed the figure as an apparition caused by tiredness.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- apparitional adjective
- Relating to or resembling an apparition; rare.
Commonly confused: apparition or apparent?
apparition vs apparent
An adjective meaning 'obvious' or 'seeming'. Apparition is the noun for a ghostly figure.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'apparition' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Apparition is a countable noun for a ghostly figure, so 'saw an apparition' fits. The others confuse it with the adjective 'apparent' or use it as a verb, which it is not.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “apparition”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.