as in haunting
of, relating to, or suggestive of a ghost
They spotted a spectral figure in the window of the old abandoned house.
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Recent Examples of spectral
Convinced that their ancestors are communicating with them via dream visions, characters wander dark alleyways at night, pursuing spectral figures.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
The ghost in Beloved was not Morrison’s first spectral being.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
This research acts like a cosmic linguist, analyzing subtle spectral signatures to give us unprecedented insight into how these powerful, yet often hidden, forces influence star birth, sculpt galactic gas and orchestrate the evolution of galaxies.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
But the vastness was really about fostering conditions in which his spectral harmonies could thrive.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spectral
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026
The ghost in Beloved was not Morrison’s first spectral being.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
This research acts like a cosmic linguist, analyzing subtle spectral signatures to give us unprecedented insight into how these powerful, yet often hidden, forces influence star birth, sculpt galactic gas and orchestrate the evolution of galaxies.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
But the vastness was really about fostering conditions in which his spectral harmonies could thrive.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spectral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spectral
Adjective
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Over the years, humpback whale songs have been recorded for human listening, with many describing the songs as having a haunting, mournful quality.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
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In Clint Eastwood's haunting neo-noir mystery, Penn is top-notch as a grieving father with some shady undertones.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The scene is interrupted when in the scribe’s home, shrouded in darkness, eerie sounds distract him from what’s on his digital page.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
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Rusting agricultural equipment and decaying barns gave the sci-fi story an eerie texture that’s strangely suited to a movie theater in a trailer.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Kurt's key takeaways A robot that gives birth may seem a little creepy at first.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Costumed beasts and creepy crawlies aren’t limited to Halloween.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Then there's SpongeBob SquarePants, whose latest movie finds the iconic character venturing to the creepy Underworld with a dastardly phantom pirate.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
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Through the striking comparison of yesterday’s expectations and the mundane reality of those who were born and raised in the shadow of a phantom project, Rosario Minervini performs a dissection of clinical precision of the delays that have weighed down Italy’s collective psyche over time.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Brooklyn psych-folk artist’s 2025 debut, newly reissued by AD 93, is dissonant, ghostly, and otherworldly, summoning complex emotions with sparse tools.—
Vrinda Jagota,
Pitchfork,
19 Mar. 2026
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Maybe the ghostly energy of the artist does lives on in the art, the way an author’s imagination remains in the ink on the page.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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What made this Aztecs season unusually weird?—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
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That is a super weird way to descend an A-frame net.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Brendon, who portrayed Xander Harris on the long-running supernatural drama, was a central figure in the series' original cast and remained closely connected to fans of the show in the years that followed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2026
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Oddfellow, on the other hand, was cerebral and controlled, preferring to use supernatural powers and mess with people’s minds.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spectral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spectral. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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