variants
or spectre
as in haunt
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
The reason why is simple: raising the specter of international mediation encourages Islamabad’s unrealistic expectation that a final settlement will give Pakistan a greater share of Kashmir.
—
Lisa Curtis, Foreign Affairs, 13 May 2025
The Pacers launched a mini comeback and cut that to 11 points in the fourth but, with the specter of a 3-0 deficit looming, the Cavs rallied to ultimately take a comfortable win.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
But the new policy also raises the specter of a lawsuit over the ban and a host of questions about how the new rules will be applied.
—Ann Schimke, Denver Post, 9 May 2025
But in raising the specter of unchecked spy agencies, Trump doesn’t see a threat to the nation.
—James Santel, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for specter
Lisa Curtis, Foreign Affairs, 13 May 2025
The Pacers launched a mini comeback and cut that to 11 points in the fourth but, with the specter of a 3-0 deficit looming, the Cavs rallied to ultimately take a comfortable win.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
But the new policy also raises the specter of a lawsuit over the ban and a host of questions about how the new rules will be applied.
—Ann Schimke, Denver Post, 9 May 2025
But in raising the specter of unchecked spy agencies, Trump doesn’t see a threat to the nation.
—James Santel, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for specter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specter
Noun
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The story of this production is like an inversion of the play’s: Oldman, 67, fondly revisiting a haunt of his youth in the twilight of an illustrious career, plays Krapp, an unsuccessful writer who, on his 69th birthday, looks back at his past self and sees only abject failure.—
Houman Barekat,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
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With an influx of fancy cocktail haunts, $12 craft beers and natural wine bars, can dive bars stand the test of time?—
Kaitlyn Rosati,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Her mother stalked the perimeter of the grave, faced with a philosophical question: how to take pictures of the ass of a ghost.—
Patricia Lockwood,
New Yorker,
18 May 2025
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One of my first ideas was wondering how a ghost could exist in contemporary society.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 May 2025
Noun
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Indeed, from his earliest days, he's had almost something of a shadow career to his more visible one making award-winning narratives.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
21 May 2025
-
Military setbacks on the battlefield, diplomatic isolation, and stronger sanctions—especially those targeting shadow fleets and third-party oil buyers.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Noun
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The First Shadow was an effect as magical as the telekinetic wraiths emanating above the actors’ bodies.—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
30 Apr. 2025
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The before-and-after pictures still astound: a skeletal wraith on the left, a rosy-cheeked child on the right.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
27 May 2015
Noun
-
Ray is an enigma and a mystery, a man who zips into town on a motorbike like a phantom and could just as easily evaporate at any minute.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
18 May 2025
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Season 4 continued to expand the paranormal world of Ghosts, with the funny phantoms developing new powers, the introduction of even more specters roaming the Woodstone grounds — and Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar), finally able to see the ghosts his wife, Sam (Rose McIver) is always speaking with.—
Christopher Rudolph,
People.com,
9 May 2025
Noun
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However, her tragic demise spooks and haunts Jen, since her death is incredibly horrible and sad, rocking the whole Capesode community.—
Lisa Stardust,
People.com,
14 May 2025
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Come Season 2, Colter and Russell were confronted by a government spook who knew an awful lot about Dad.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
4 May 2025
Noun
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At the very end of Season 1, Peacemaker appears to be seeing and hearing his father's apparition; presumably Patrick will continue in that capacity and/or in flashbacks.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
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As the music plays, apparitions of shamans and African tribal dancers begin to mingle with the crowd.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Specter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specter. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
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