specter

noun

spec·​ter ˈspek-tər 

variants or spectre

1

: a visible disembodied spirit : ghost

2

: something that haunts or perturbs the mind : phantasm

the specter of hunger

Synonyms of specter

• apparition
• ghost
• spirit
• phantom

Examples of specter in a Sentence

feeling so terrified that every shadow became a specter

Recent Examples on the Web

But the aspects of Outcome that resonate have nearly nothing to do with the nonsensical specter of cancel culture. —Josh Spiegel, HollywoodReporter, 11 Apr. 2026

The rush of investors looking to exit private credit funds at Apollo, Blue Owl, Blackstone, BlackRock, and Cliffwater has hit unprecedented levels, raising the specter of prolonged pressure on the firms, The Wall Street Journal reported. —Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 9 Apr. 2026

Epoch’s survey comes on the heels of new reports from Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley addressing the growing specter of AI in the labor market. —Jared Perlo, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026

In March, Polymarket quietly took down a bet on whether a nuclear weapon would be detonated before this year, raising the specter that the site was blatantly incentivizing nuclear conflict. —Frank Landymore, Futurism, 9 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French spectre, from Latin spectrum appearance, specter, from specere to look, look at — more at spy

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing specter

• raised the specter of
• the specter of (something)

Rhymes for specter

• hector
• lector
• nectar
• rector
• sector
• spectre
• vector
• bisector
• collector
• connector
• corrector
• defector

Kids Definition

specter

noun

spec·​ter

variants or spectre

ˈspek-tər 

1

: ghost

2

: something that bothers the mind