To haunt means to visit or appear in a place repeatedly, especially as a ghost or spirit. An old mansion might be haunted by the ghost of someone who lived there long ago, appearing in hallways or making mysterious sounds at night. When we say a place is haunted, we mean a spirit seems to linger there, unable or unwilling to leave.

The word also describes how memories or feelings can stay with you in an unsettling way. A mistake might haunt you if you keep thinking about it weeks or months later, replaying it in your mind. A sad scene from a book might haunt you long after you've finished reading, popping back into your thoughts when you least expect it. These memories don't literally follow you around like ghosts, but they can feel persistent and hard to shake off.

People sometimes call a place they visit often their haunt or stomping grounds. A coffee shop might be someone's favorite haunt, or a particular corner of the library might be a student's regular haunt for studying. This meaning captures the idea of returning to the same spot again and again, though without anything spooky about it.