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
Coach Brad Willis’ team responded to the setback by shaking off the loss plus the demons of a first-round exit in Division 1 last season.
—
Dan Albano, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
Mikaela Shiffrin can now leave her Olympics demons behind.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
Bravely, Turner faces her biography one last time to show that demons from the past can be overcome.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Such ideas appear to have fueled some of the more apocalyptic currents on the Trumpist right, such as Peter Thiel’s musings on the anti-Christ and the ravings of Dan Bongino, the former deputy director of the FBI, who has said that demons are real.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
Plagued by guilt for having run over a person and fled, she is confronted by demons, both personal and supernatural.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
The movie, about a pop girl group, HUNTR/X, that fights demons and protect South Korea from them, was a smash hit.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
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
Dan Albano, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
Mikaela Shiffrin can now leave her Olympics demons behind.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 18 Feb. 2026
Bravely, Turner faces her biography one last time to show that demons from the past can be overcome.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
Such ideas appear to have fueled some of the more apocalyptic currents on the Trumpist right, such as Peter Thiel’s musings on the anti-Christ and the ravings of Dan Bongino, the former deputy director of the FBI, who has said that demons are real.
—Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026
Plagued by guilt for having run over a person and fled, she is confronted by demons, both personal and supernatural.
—Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
The movie, about a pop girl group, HUNTR/X, that fights demons and protect South Korea from them, was a smash hit.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demons
Noun
-
The precarious state of her mind forces us to question whether Sylvia and Ted are ghosts, hallucinations or literary inventions sprung to life.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The show’s greatest strength was never just the jump scares or the hidden ghosts tucked into background shots.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
What could be worse than these twin terrors?—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
-
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
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
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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
-
Even a half-century later, the undead ghouls that descend upon survivors in a Pennsylvania farm house are timeless and the gut-punch ending couldn't be more timely.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
-
With Adam Roberts announcing the tempos on the baby grand piano, the ghouls in Tevye’s nightmare emerge from around the fourposter.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For the scene, which ends with the sunrise and the annihilation of the vampires, director Ryan Coogler submerged the cast and crew in a Louisiana lake.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Written by Port and Wiseman, Eternally Yours is an eternal love story about two vampires, Liz (Edwards) and Charles (Weeks), who have been married for five hundred years, and their struggles to accept the human, Max (Lewison), who is dating their daughter, Emma (Shen).—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
While spending several thousand dollars on a Scotch was not unheard of, this was the first time an American whiskey company offered a rare blend that rivaled other spirits from around the world.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
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Inside, a long mahogany counter glows beneath warm gold walls, where bartenders move with precision through a selection of classics and inventive cocktails built on bold spirits and house infusions.—
Melinda Sheckells,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Ilia Malinin’s collapse underscores the crushing psychological pressure of Olympic competition, which can turn childhood dreams into nightmares, even for elite athletes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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Most of them are oddly charged, dramatically staged images meant to evoke dreams, nightmares, or fantasies.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demons. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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