as in demon
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Recent Examples of incubus
The Devil’s Museum, a satellite of the main collection, has amassed more than 3,000 depictions of demons, evil spirits and incubus from around the world.
—
Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Your fame sits beside you like an incubus, and people are embarrassed and want to leave the room.
—Candace Bushnell, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2025
This meaning is visualized in Henry Fuseli’s 1781 painting The Nightmare, which shows a woman sleeping peacefully on a couch while a nauseating monster—an incubus—sits portentously on her abdomen, unbeknownst to her.
—Time, 28 Dec. 2022
As Tommy’s experiences in the tunnels of France mark a continued incubus for his character, with visions of being pulled into the mud, the sounding of the bell coincides with his own inner peace.
—Josh St. Clair, Men's Health, 13 June 2022
An incubus is the male variety (and also that band).
—Angie Jones, Glamour, 17 Mar. 2022
Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Your fame sits beside you like an incubus, and people are embarrassed and want to leave the room.
—Candace Bushnell, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2025
This meaning is visualized in Henry Fuseli’s 1781 painting The Nightmare, which shows a woman sleeping peacefully on a couch while a nauseating monster—an incubus—sits portentously on her abdomen, unbeknownst to her.
—Time, 28 Dec. 2022
As Tommy’s experiences in the tunnels of France mark a continued incubus for his character, with visions of being pulled into the mud, the sounding of the bell coincides with his own inner peace.
—Josh St. Clair, Men's Health, 13 June 2022
An incubus is the male variety (and also that band).
—Angie Jones, Glamour, 17 Mar. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incubus
Noun
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So, Hippocrates argued, the illness of epilepsy must be caused, like any other illness, by imbalance, not demons.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Rumi’s accessories include her Four Tiger Sword and a HUNTR/X light stick, while Juni, appearing in his demon form, includes his guitar and a Saja Boys light stick.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The bond between a rider and their banshee doesn't break, and chances are your bond with this two-figure set won't either.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
19 Dec. 2025
-
Then, like an alarm clock, howler monkeys unleashed their banshee shriek, staking their territory as the sun rose.—
Ryan Knighton,
AFAR Media,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Investigators said the resident was experiencing excruciating pain from a hernia, phantom leg syndrome and nerve damage from diabetes.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
12 Nov. 2025
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Gives himself entirely to the race, shoots like a phantom up through the opening and then stands panting in the garret, completely motionless, while his eyes become accustomed to the change of light.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In his masterful first novel, Lincoln in the Bardo, ghouls and spirits keep chattering away, as if at a corner barbershop, while Abraham Lincoln mourns his dead 11-year-old son, Willie.—
Pico Iyer,
Air Mail,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Suturing Mary Shelley’s novel to his own 21st century anti-technocrat ferocity, Guillermo del Toro cranked up his ambitions in every element from costumes to cinematography and thrillingly brought his favorite ghoul to life.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Mykal-Michelle Harris from Raven’s Home guest-stars as Ruby, a mischievous moon imp who tricks Vee.—
Allison McClain Merrill,
Parents,
27 Oct. 2025
-
It’s believed that the 13th-century castle is haunted by a magical imp who frequently visits the Markomanka and Hlíza, or black, towers.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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On his journey, Geralt slices up several soldiers, a giant, ogre-like creature and a ghostly wraith.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
7 Oct. 2025
-
In the footage, Geralt approaches the domain of a wraith and battles the skeletal specter, culminating in a heart-ripping moment.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This raises the specter of the Fed nearing the terminal rate for this cycle before too long.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The specter of nuclear annihilation was now forever a reality, and the Cold War heightened the sense of uncertainty.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
An apparition will appear before us.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
-
The image combines each planet's nightly positions during separate 2025 apparitions, assembled by astrophotographer Petr Horálek, a NOIRLab Audiovisual Ambassador.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incubus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incubus. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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