variants
or daemons
1
as in ghosts
an evil spirit
only in rare cases is the ancient rite of exorcism performed to cast out a troublesome demon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terrors
a source of persistent emotional distress
a man who was finally able to conquer his demons and kick his drug habit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demons
Instead of teaching his nephew how to fight, Jake shows Marc what real courage is, facing down his own demons along the way.
—
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
In the process, Jake shows Marc what real courage is while facing down his own demons.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
This time around, aside from warding off mental demons that arose from her crash, Shiffrin, at 30, must also fight the indignities of age.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
So, Hippocrates argued, the illness of epilepsy must be caused, like any other illness, by imbalance, not demons.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
An esoteric tradition takes Solomon’s wisdom to be the Ars Goetia, ritual magic used to summon and bind demons.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
My demons have gobbled up my neighbor’s dog, burned down the assembly hall, and fabricated countless sources.
—Charlie Dektar, New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2026
What is love if not a willingness to fight another person’s demons alongside them?
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
This is where the movie’s horror genre kicks into high gear, with the aggrieved pastor enlisting a deliverance healer to rid his son and Ryan of their demons.
—Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
In the process, Jake shows Marc what real courage is while facing down his own demons.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
This time around, aside from warding off mental demons that arose from her crash, Shiffrin, at 30, must also fight the indignities of age.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
So, Hippocrates argued, the illness of epilepsy must be caused, like any other illness, by imbalance, not demons.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
An esoteric tradition takes Solomon’s wisdom to be the Ars Goetia, ritual magic used to summon and bind demons.
—Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
My demons have gobbled up my neighbor’s dog, burned down the assembly hall, and fabricated countless sources.
—Charlie Dektar, New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2026
What is love if not a willingness to fight another person’s demons alongside them?
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
This is where the movie’s horror genre kicks into high gear, with the aggrieved pastor enlisting a deliverance healer to rid his son and Ryan of their demons.
—Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demons
Noun
-
There are a few characters—the cowboy who leads horseback rides through the canyon (straight from central casting, but totally legit), or the guide who takes you hiking into the desert who knows how to survive on cactus and insects and also feels the presence of Navajo ghosts.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The silk mousseline garments floated almost like ghosts or memories of Chanel designs past, including the famous skirt suit with its matching cardigan and Karl Lagerfeld modernisms like jeans with a tweed jacket, plus the iconic flap bag.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Almost every one of Arsenal’s title-winning seasons in living memory has had a moment where the terrors set in.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The lustrous surfaces hide moral horrors, silence emotional terrors, and block out the filth beyond their boundaries.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There are sounds and shadows in the forest; the Devil, or devils, may be walking the earth.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
-
And then there are the infernal workers who make sure that Lucifer’s realm runs smoothly, among them farting devils, giants in chains, and a flying monster with the body of a serpent and the face of an honest man.—
Eric Bulson,
The Atlantic,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As a poet, publisher, and public intellectual, Ferlinghetti spent the rest of his career resisting the very torments Judge Horn said haunted the post-war world.—
Gioia Woods,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Denver author Josiah Hesse was raised by Evangelical parents in churches that believe in the torments of hell, that their poverty is due to their sinfulness and lack of faith.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Its lead character is Harry Dresden, a professional wizard operating out of the city of Chicago in a world where ghouls, ghosts, werewolves and vampires exist in the shadows of modern society.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
21 Jan. 2026
-
No disrespect to Purnell, who perfectly calibrated Lucy’s intrinsic hopefulness in the first season and slowly begins to curdle it this go-round as Lucy spends more time among ghouls, raiders, cannibals, and various other feuding factions.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
What's more, she's now embedded in a family of vampires who keep emphasizing how good her blood smells.—
Lincee Ray,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Energy vampires are everywhere, thirsty for a selfie or a sound bite or a Zoom.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Dining The Pennsylvanian features a Corridor Cafe, where travelers can grab breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with snacks and a selection of beverages, including wine, beer, spirits, and nonalcoholic drinks.—
Abby Price,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Feb. 2026
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The floating objects, trance communications, phantom touches, miraculous healings, and poltergeist writings that followed in the five decades after Mona’s death were attributed to her and a pantheon of other notable spirits, including Black Elk.—
Shannon Taggart,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Shortly after, the book began to take shape, with new elements often arriving in vivid daydreams and eerie nightmares.—
Charlie Vargas,
Oc Register,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Dreams of an efficient return to Denver became nightmares.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demons. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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