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
But, though the guns of war were a decade in the past, the nation had not escaped the spectre of conflict.
—
Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Yet looming over the era was the specter of the 1984 Sino-British Declaration, which sealed Hong Kong’s fate as a future territory of China.
—Pauline J. Yao, Artforum, 2 May 2026
That is all well and good in theory, but the looming spectre of relegation often means those teams near the bottom of the table find another gear at this stage of a season.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 1 May 2026
The specter of 2016 Philadelphia is no stranger to hosting major political conventions.
—Dan Snyder, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for specter
Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Yet looming over the era was the specter of the 1984 Sino-British Declaration, which sealed Hong Kong’s fate as a future territory of China.
—Pauline J. Yao, Artforum, 2 May 2026
That is all well and good in theory, but the looming spectre of relegation often means those teams near the bottom of the table find another gear at this stage of a season.
—Mark Carey, New York Times, 1 May 2026
The specter of 2016 Philadelphia is no stranger to hosting major political conventions.
—Dan Snyder, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for specter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specter
Noun
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The peak of Mercury's apparition (for latitude 40 degrees north) and its greatest elongation from the sun don't occur until the middle of June.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
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The museum site has been a paranormal hotbed for decades, with sightings of apparitions, security camera footage capturing items flying off shelves, as well as experiences from staff members and visitors.—
Gregory Harutunian,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The big hits came from pinch-hitter Troy Johnston, who hit a double to right to score ghost runner Willi Castro, and Jake McCarthy, who drove in Johnston with a single to center.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
9 May 2026
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And what about Ctenocheloides attenboroughi, a living species of ghost shrimp less than an inch long?—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Barker’s other heroes include Nathan Fielder and Tim Robinson, comics whose work contains an undeniable dark streak, and who share his prankster’s spirit and high tolerance for unease.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
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Vitello said postgame that Koss’ helmet cracked as a result of the bean ball, but Koss was in good spirits after the game.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
10 May 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 13 May. 2026.
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