Definition

Noun: 1. An evil spirit or ghost: A ghoul is traditionally understood as a malevolent, demonic being, often from folklore, that robs graves and feeds on the dead. 2. A person who robs graves: This meaning extends to a person who steals bodies from graves, typically for illicit purposes such as selling them for dissection. 3. A person with morbid or revolting interests: Figuratively, it can describe someone who shows an unnatural or grotesque fascination with death, horror, or other disturbing subjects.

Usage and Examples

• As an evil spirit:
  • The old tales spoke of a ghoul that haunted the cemetery at night.
  • In the story, the hero had to defeat the ghoul to lift the curse.
• As a grave robber:
  • In the 19th century, ghouls sometimes supplied medical schools with cadavers.
  • The police arrested a man suspected of being a ghoul who had been desecrating local tombs.
• As a person with morbid interests:
  • He's such a ghoul; he only reads true crime books about serial killers.
  • Stop being a ghoul and staring at the accident scene.

Advanced Usage

• "Ghoul" is often used in modern contexts to criticize someone who derives pleasure from others' misfortune or who is obsessed with macabre details. It carries a strong connotation of disgust and moral judgment.
  • The tabloid reporters were accused of being ghouls, feasting on the tragedy of the celebrity's downfall.

Variants and Related Words

• Ghoulish (adjective): Having the repulsive or morbid character of a ghoul.
  • He has a ghoulish fascination with horror movies.
  • The crime scene photos were too ghoulish for public release.

Synonyms

• Evil spirit: demon, fiend, specter.
• Grave robber: body snatcher, resurrectionist (historical term).
• Morbid person: vulture, sensationalist.

Idioms and Phrases

• While not a standalone idiom, the word "ghoul" is frequently used in the phrase "like a ghoul" to describe someone acting with morbid fascination.
  • The crowd gathered around the wreckage like ghouls.

Noun

1. an evil spirit or ghost
2. someone who takes bodies from graves and sells them for anatomical dissection