variants
or spectre
as in apparition
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people
feeling so terrified that every shadow became a specter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of specter
Still, the specter of rising memory prices clouded the results.
—
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026
The hard-line Keyhan newspaper raised the specter of Tehran attempting to close the strait by force.
—Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
This raises the specter of the Fed nearing the terminal rate for this cycle before too long.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
No area of American life went untouched by the specter of conflict with the Soviets.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for specter
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026
The hard-line Keyhan newspaper raised the specter of Tehran attempting to close the strait by force.
—Sam McNeil, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
This raises the specter of the Fed nearing the terminal rate for this cycle before too long.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
No area of American life went untouched by the specter of conflict with the Soviets.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for specter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specter
Noun
-
Juggling demanding apparitions alongside staff burnout, family pressures and a coworker who seems to know more about her than expected, the series grounds its supernatural premise in the cultural specificity of the Filipino healthcare experience.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
3 Feb. 2026
-
An apparition will appear before us.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The latter sees a faded star eyeing a possible comeback and encountering all sorts of ghosts from his past.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The ghosts of the Dončić trade can now be put to rest.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
To see him in such high spirits, seemingly not dampened by being rested for the final half-hour as Chelsea continue to manage his minutes, was a rare treat.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The spirit and the symbolism were, at times, undecipherable.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Stygiomedusa gigantea, commonly known as the giant phantom jelly, was filmed at 250 meters below the surface.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Old Town The belltower looms like a phantom.—
Chen Yuhong,
The Dial,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Specter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specter. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
