variants
or daemon
1
as in ghost
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 torment
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 demon
Her stunning 2025 debut, Waiting Room, interrogated horror and discomfort through probing and foreboding synthesizer drones and crackling bass; on Carve, she’s not done with her demons yet.
—
Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026
But when her housemate Molly (Laura Marcus) takes her relentless bullying a step too far, Bliss comes to the conclusion that perhaps the demons she’s been hunting have been under her roof the whole time.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 14 Apr. 2026
But at this event, there was no Bobby, and there was no talk of lifelong demons.
—Jill Smolowe, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
Julius Randle slayed a lot of his previous playoff demons last season and will be healthy and rested, as will Jaden McDaniels after missing six games with a bone bruise in his left knee.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for demon
Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2026
But when her housemate Molly (Laura Marcus) takes her relentless bullying a step too far, Bliss comes to the conclusion that perhaps the demons she’s been hunting have been under her roof the whole time.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 14 Apr. 2026
But at this event, there was no Bobby, and there was no talk of lifelong demons.
—Jill Smolowe, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
Julius Randle slayed a lot of his previous playoff demons last season and will be healthy and rested, as will Jaden McDaniels after missing six games with a bone bruise in his left knee.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for demon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demon
Noun
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The game went to extras after the Red Sox couldn’t score in the bottom of the ninth, but after Garrett Whitlock sent the Tigers down 1-2-3 in the top of the 10th, Boston only needed a base hit with the game-winning ghost runner starting the inning at second base.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
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Those themes are alive here, as the ghosts who visit Depp’s Scrooge are intricate, terrifying apparitions not suitable for the whole family.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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So too did Trump spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain, who compared the president’s torments to those of Jesus.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
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Ahmed provides his haunted, intelligent eyes to convey the inner torment of this Hamlet, the grieving scion of a wealthy family of real estate developers.—
Katie Walsh,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Created by a number of its stars, Ghosts originated on the BBC in 2019, following a group of ghouls from different historical periods haunting a country house while sharing the house with its new living occupants.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
25 Mar. 2026
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Ledger ingeniously plays the Joker as a chaotic force of nature, a scarred and unknowable ghoul clad in clown paint and a garish suit from Demon's Wearhouse.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But in 2022, the Guidestones became a flashpoint that resulted in a real-world act of domestic terror – a mystery that to this day, has never been solved.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
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On Sunday morning, the usual crowds filled the streets as bars and nightclubs were closing in Sacramento when the sound of rapid-fire gunshots sent people running in terror.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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While the movie has some fun asking whether people actually want to know everything about their partners (a devil’s bargain since time immemorial), its real interest lies in how that knowledge is colored by who shares it.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
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Its theme — that the rich are different, and in not-good ways — meant she’d be forced into a ritualistic game of hide-and-seek, running for her life from her devil-worshipping, masters-of-the-world in-laws.—
Michael Ordoña,
Houston Chronicle,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Not in terms of the scale of its sets—we’ll leave that to the giant staircase in The Queen of Versailles, or whatever is going on with the flying vampires of The Lost Boys—but in terms of the most tropes crammed into one two-act stretch.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
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While the film features a love triangle, Bella is notably the only human in the mix, while Edward is a vampire and Taylor Lautner's Jacob Black is a werewolf.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
17 Apr. 2026
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Two days in, their romantic getaway became a nightmare.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demon. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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