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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of specter
Prices are up worldwide, with fertilizer plants closing in Bangladesh, raising the specter of an urea shortage.
—
Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
Its involvement now raises the specter of further disruption for a global shipping industry already buffeted by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
—James Legge, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
The specter of October 7, 2023, hovers over the movie, as does the aftermath that’s left thousands more dead.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2026
In addition to extending the shutdown, the negotiations standoff raises the specter of cutting into the recess that was supposed to begin at the end of this week.
—Justin Papp, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for specter
Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
Its involvement now raises the specter of further disruption for a global shipping industry already buffeted by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
—James Legge, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
The specter of October 7, 2023, hovers over the movie, as does the aftermath that’s left thousands more dead.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2026
In addition to extending the shutdown, the negotiations standoff raises the specter of cutting into the recess that was supposed to begin at the end of this week.
—Justin Papp, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for specter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specter
Noun
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But he’s journeyed to Lourdes and Our Lady of Guadalupe, both of which the Vatican has officially recognized as supernatural Marian apparitions.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
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When 59% of California voters have a concern about the cost of providing public benefits to an unlimited number of people residing in the country unlawfully, that’s an apparition that will roam the earth.—
Susan Shelley,
Oc Register,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That’s news to the ghost of President Lyndon Johnson and the still-communist capital of Hanoi.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
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Until that happens, the ghost bikes will remain — stark, silent reminders of lives cut short and a call for safer streets.—
Alexa Liacko,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Ancient Mayans later believed cenotes were sacred portals to the underworld, where gods and spirits dwelled.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Apr. 2026
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By the 1980s, the mob had slowed, but some say the spirit of the mafia never left Gaetano's basement.—
Kennedy Cook,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Such a designation, evidently, would save agents from wasting time chasing phantoms.—
Adam Ciralsky,
Vanity Fair,
19 Mar. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Specter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specter. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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