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This is a weird one because it feels like apparitions is nothing more than another word for ghosts. Yet, there is a difference that turns up on occasion. So, what is an apparition and why is it really different than a ghost?
While a ghost is specifically a spirt of the dead, an apparition can be a person or even an object. It takes on a solid, clearly identifiable form in an area that was connected to it in ‘life’. This doesn’t mean the apparition can interact with physical objects, but you know what you’re dealing with. They tend to be primarily a visible encounter even though some have been connected to cold patches.
The most common and famous example of an apparition, going by the definition, would be a Haunted House. There are spirits involved in most stories, but there are others where its simply an evil force in the house. It can bring in other types of ghosts and does gain an ability to interact with people, but it isn’t always connected to a dead person. At least in many stories. Fiction seems to always add a spirit in there, so that makes identifying apparitions that aren’t ‘ghosts’ even harder.
Another wrinkle in the apparition is that it can also be used when one sees the astral projection of a living person. This muddies the water even more since you can’t say ‘every apparition is a ghost, but not every ghost is an apparition’. I would say that this addition means we’re merely looking at something that manifests to the eye. It can interact with people or not, but it’s simply a clear visual of something. There isn’t any mystery to what an apparition is depicting.
So, what would you say to this whole apparition/ghost thing? Do you think they really should be considered one and the same?
Legends of Windemere 
I’m just sold on calling them all ghosts. 🤣
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It’s the easiest way to go. Variation helps in certain genres though.
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I thought ghost and apparition were synonymous.
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Most people use them as synonyms. Yet, apparitions can be defined as a specific group of ghosts if one wants to categorize.
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I had the same thought as Joseph Glidden and Armann and Kaymann. They seem the same to me.
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I think a big part is that we typically use the terms interchangeably.
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Since I’m not a paranormal scientist, I think the term ‘ghosts’ covers both.
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Definitely seems to be the consensus.
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Yes it does
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synonyms. most things in life (and death) are coloured by context. except for the moron’s moron trump. He’s coloured by a stage magician. Look for the orange glow.
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Context is definitely important. Though, I did find it interesting that many of the synonyms for ghosts began as a special category. Think I’m going to avoid most orange glows. Tend to result in an uncomfortable burning sensation.
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The terms ghost and apparition do appear to be interchangeable, but you can’t really call the appearance of an inanimate object a ghost as it’s not had a life, nor a death, and doesn’t have a soul.
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Good point.
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Like you said, an apparition can be more than just a person’s ghost. They could be astral projections or come from other sources.
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Astral projection really doesn’t get used as often as it used to.
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I guess it’s all in the telling. I see them as the same, but could be different in the parameters of a story.
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Someone in another comment mentioned that a difference could be that ghost are always humanoid while apparitions can be objects.
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That’s interesting.
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