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
The series also serves as the MCU’s introduction of spectral magic meeting tech via the villainous character The Hood (Anthony Ramos), a low-level criminal who stumbles upon a magical cloak powered by the same forces depicted in Doctor Strange.
—
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 23 June 2025
The purpose of the maze target is to calibrate the positioning of the laser scanner mirror and characterize the laser's focus, which requires a target with sharply contrasting spectral responses.
—Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 6 June 2025
The spare but spectral landscapes recall Julie Taymor’s Shakespearean adaptation Titus as well as the supernal opening that Vilmos Zsigmond photographed for Scarecrow, Jerry Schatzberg’s 1970s exploration of American anomie.
—Armond White, National Review, 4 June 2025
Don’t expect to see Luke Skywalker in any of the upcoming films Lucasfilm has planned — even as a spectral Force Ghost.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for spectral
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 23 June 2025
The purpose of the maze target is to calibrate the positioning of the laser scanner mirror and characterize the laser's focus, which requires a target with sharply contrasting spectral responses.
—Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 6 June 2025
The spare but spectral landscapes recall Julie Taymor’s Shakespearean adaptation Titus as well as the supernal opening that Vilmos Zsigmond photographed for Scarecrow, Jerry Schatzberg’s 1970s exploration of American anomie.
—Armond White, National Review, 4 June 2025
Don’t expect to see Luke Skywalker in any of the upcoming films Lucasfilm has planned — even as a spectral Force Ghost.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for spectral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spectral
Adjective
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Antarctica's crimson waterfall is truly haunting, and very few people ever see it in person.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
6 July 2025
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For five seasons, creator and host Rod Serling guided unsuspecting viewers through some of the most haunting, macabre stories ever told.—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
3 July 2025
Adjective
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That arrangement builds to an exhilarating climax largely fueled by Lindsey Buckingham’s guitar lead, from the eerie wailing of those high notes to its fiery conclusion.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
11 July 2025
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Instead, what ensued was an eerie redux of another Wimbledon lion’s last stand.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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Although Cheol-su and Young-hee may forever be known to the world as giant, creepy animatronic dolls, they’re based on fictional characters found in old Korean language textbooks.—
Regina Kim,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
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The latest trailer incorporates personal outtakes of Franco and Brie’s love story interspersed with creepy stills from the film.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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The system notices when safety sensors aren’t talking to each other right and fixes them before those phantom braking glitches.—
Raghu Para,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
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For another, a one-and-done remedy for the condition’s most debilitating manifestations is, quite simply, a phantom goal.—
Caren Zucker,
The Atlantic,
6 July 2025
Adjective
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Ghost Tour: Take a night tour through the eerie streets of Bisbee, known for its haunted past and the ghostly tales of its mining days.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 July 2025
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Their love is reignited in the most unlikely form, but not everyone welcomes her return—especially March’s family, still unsettled by a ghostly presence that appeared after a factory worker’s death forced their business to close.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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Though country rock at their core, Roadhouse Band songs are flush with woodwinds and pedal steel, weird horns and synthesizers.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
21 July 2025
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And that’s exactly the kind of weird the planet needs.—
Heather Wishart-Smith,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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Prod: Andrés Jaime Santamaría) David Rodríguez, a Colombian police captain, goes undercover in a brutal jail to discover a sect which carries our ritual sacrifices in worship of a supernatural god.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
15 July 2025
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This dynamic composition weaves together intense orchestral elements with modern beats, perfectly capturing the film’s blend of supernatural action and high energy music.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spectral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spectral. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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