ghost town

noun

: a once-flourishing town wholly or nearly deserted usually as a result of the exhaustion of some natural resource

Examples of ghost town in a Sentence

After all the gold was mined, the place became a ghost town.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The city of Kherson, the region’s capital, is becoming a ghost town. Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 3 June 2025 Paul Fields and Ralph Casper, local cabinetmakers, bought the veritable ghost town in 1970. Kathe Tanner, Sacbee.com, 23 Apr. 2025 Now, like many American communities built around an employer who eventually abandoned them, Salt’s Neck is a ghost town. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2025 Similarly, the textile industry once thrived in the Carolinas but has moved overseas—leaving behind ghost towns and unemployed workers. Matthew Putman, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ghost town

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ghost town was in 1894

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Cite this Entry

“Ghost town.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghost%20town. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

ghost town

noun
: a town deserted because some natural resource has been used up

More from Merriam-Webster on ghost town

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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