What Does the 👻 Ghost Emoji Mean?

Co-authored by Eric McClure

Last Updated: January 8, 2023

The 👻 (ghost emoji) is an enigmatic little goofball of an emoji, so you may be confused by what it means if someone uses it over text, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok. That’s understandable—people certainly use this emoji in some unique ways. That’s why we’re here to help! In this article, we’ll walk you through every possible way that people use the ghost emoji. We’ll even cover how to use it, and provide some fun complementary emojis you might use depending on what you’re talking about.

Section 1 of 3:

What does the 👻 (ghost emoji) mean?

1
The 👻 represents an actual ghost, and by extension, anything paranormal. On a very literal level, the 👻 is a ghost, and it’s often used to signify an actual ghost. However, it can really be used to signify anything supernatural or paranormal.^{[1]
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Research source} For example:
- “Have you ever seen a 👻?”
- “I heard this story about a spirit in the woods where I grew up. I never saw it, but a friend of mine said they heard the voice of a 👻 late one night.”
- “Tell me a 👻 story! I’m bored.”
2
A ghost emoji can stand in for anything related to Halloween. The 👻 kind of looks like the old “white sheet with eyeholes cut out” costume that kids wear on Halloween. On top of that, ghosts are a popular staple of any Halloween décor.^{[2]
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Research source} Someone could say:
- “Are you going to the 👻 party at Ben’s this weekend?”
- “What are you dressing up as for 👻?”
- “I can’t wait to go trick-or-treating this year 👻.”
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3
The ghost on its own 👻 may refer specifically to Snapchat. You may not have noticed since the app’s logo doesn’t have a face, but Snapchat’s logo is a ghost. This is a pretty straightforward substitution. You can use the 👻 to refer to the social media app. For example:
- “Do you have 👻?”
- “Did you see the 👻 I sent you?”
- “I don’t know anyone using 👻 anymore. Everyone is on TikTok.”
4
A 👻 can be a reference to “ghosting” someone. Ghosting refers to the practice of totally disappearing and going unresponsive—usually over text or when you meet someone online. The 👻 can replace the word “ghosting,” but because it’s such a funny-looking emoji the implication is usually that someone isn’t all that upset about being ghosted.^{[3]
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Research source}
- “Remember that date I was looking forward to? They 👻 me. Can you believe it?!”
- “I’m 100% going to 👻 you if you don’t text me back about tonight lol.”
- If you text someone and they don’t reply for 24 hours, you might just send a single “👻.”
5
The 👻 can be used to express a goofy, random tone. Just look at that little ghost. Really look at it. It’s ridiculous! This silly little ghoul is so goofy-looking that it’s often used to convey general dopiness and absurdity, but in a really fun and playful way.^{[4]
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Research source} Examples might include:
- “Guess who got up at 3 am and didn’t go back to sleep 👻”
- “She asked me what my favorite fast food was, and I went all 👻 and said ‘ketchup.’”
- “I’m feeling all 👻 today. Might go to the mall and yell at strangers.”
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The 👻 can stand in for death in an ironic, playful way. If you just look at the words “I’m dead,” “it’s killing me,” or “I’m dying,” you might mistakenly think someone is seriously in trouble. The 👻 can be used to emphasize that you’re 100% not being literal so that the other person knows they have nothing to worry about.^{[5]
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Research source} For example:
- “I drank way too much last night. I’m dying over here 👻.”
- “I might turn into 👻. I’m seriously dying at work today.”
- “I’m dead 👻. That’s actually hysterical.”
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A 👻 can stand in for “boo,” meaning “love” or “babe.” This cute little emoji can be used a little flirtatiously if you don’t want to be super forward.^{[6]
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Research source} However, this is more of a fringe use, so don’t be shocked if they don’t totally get what you’re getting at. You might say:
- “Hey 👻.”
- “You know you’re my 👻.”
- “What’s good 👻👻!?”
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A 👻 might mean that someone feels unseen or unimportant. Ghosts are often depicted as translucent, or see-through. As a result, some folks like to use the 👻 to imply that they’re not being respected or seen by others. Again, since the 👻 looks kind of silly, the implication here is often that people aren’t that upset about it. You might send something like:
- “Guess who was ignored again at the daily meeting? 👻”
- “I feel like a 👻 today. Nobody wants to hit me back to hang.”
- “You ever feel kind of 👻? Sometimes I feel like people don’t even notice me…”

Section 2 of 3:

How do you use the 👻 (ghost emoji)?

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You could use a 👻 put a fun spin on a convo about the paranormal. There isn’t a whole lot that’s scary about the ghost emoji, so if you want to have a more upbeat conversation about poltergeists or ghost stories, throw a 👻 in there to set the tone for the conversation.^{[7]
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Research source} You could say:
- “My mom used to believe in 👻 and that was always so funny to me. She said she had a 👻”
- “I just saw the spookiest thing 👻!”
- “👻. Did I scare you?”
2
You might send a 👻 to decorate a text about Halloween. The upbeat little 👻 emoji has a certain whimsy and joy about it. If you’re excited about Halloween, throw in a 👻 to let the person know you’re really getting into the holiday spirit. You might say:
- “I can’t wait! It’s 👻 season! Candy and costumes—get ready!”
- “What are you dressing up for this Halloween? I can’t decide, but I’m totally amped! 👻”
- “It’s 👻 time! I am going to consume all the candy in the land this year.”
3
Employ a 👻 if you want to seem fun, playful, or absurd. If you’re using the 👻 in the zanier kind of way, throw it in somewhere so that whoever you’re talking to knows that you’re just being a goofball. This is an especially fun way to be kind of cute and warm while you’re putting your chaotic energy out there. For example:
- “I ascended. I have not slept in 24 hours. Let’s goooo 👻”
- “We are full on 👻 mode today. I’m turning up at school.”
- “I rue the day my enemies confront me 👻 👻 👻 👻”
4
Use a 👻 to indicate that you’re just messing around. The 👻 emoji is super versatile and inventive, but the throughline is that it’s silly. Just looking at the 👻, it’s kind of an enigma. Ghosts are supposed to be scary, but that emoji has a goofy look, it’s tongue sticking out, and it’s arms at its side like it’s ready to party. Use it to indicate you’re playing around by saying things like:
- “I want to party so hard this weekend that my eyes roll back in my head 👻”
- “You ready for me? I’m bring that whacky 👻 energy today.”
- “👻. That’s me showing up at your house in the middle of the night.”
5
Throw a lone 👻 out there if someone hasn’t gotten back to you. If you’re waiting on a reply from someone and you think they might have totally forgotten about you, send a single 👻 to sort of go, “Hey…did you ghost me?” This is much friendlier than confronting them about not responding or sending the super passive-aggressive “?” message.^{[8]
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Research source}
6
Be playful or coy with your crush by sending a 👻. The tongue-out look isn’t quite as suggestive as the 👅 (tongue emoji) or the 😋 (licking emoji) but it’s kind of in that ballpark if you use it in a flirty way.^{[9]
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Research source} If you’re texting your partner or your crush, you might say:
- “What’s up?! I miss you 👻.”
- “How are you! 👻”
- “You know you’re my little spooky scary cutie-pie 👻.”

Section 3 of 3:

Common Emoji Pairings

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For the Halloween enthusiasts: 🎃🧛🤡🍭👻. If you’re dressing up a Halloween text or social media post, any costume-related emojis will work, like 🧛 (vampire emoji), or the 🤡 (clown emoji). The pumpkin is a Halloween classic as well, so throw that in for good measure.^{[10]
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Research source}
2
To get super goofy with it: 🙃🤪👻. To really play up the silliness, the 🙃 (upside down emoji) and the 🤪 (tongue-out emoji) are great additions. This is an especially good idea if you want to use the ghost in that “so random” kind of way but you don’t want to be misunderstood.
3
If you want to emphasize annoyance: 🙄💥💀👻. The 🙄 (eye-roll emoji), 💥 (bang emoji), and 💀 (skull emoji) all sort of symbolize total annoyance when used in tandem with a comment about something bothering you. If you’re worried about the 👻 coming off as too playful, throw one of these other emojis in there to make it clear you’re not happy.