specters

noun

variants or spectres
plural of specter
as in apparitions
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of specters The tale of a girl on the verge of adulthood facing the threat of immigration agents and haunted by specters from Mexican folklore is told through live actors, sophisticated puppetry and an original score of Indigenous percussion. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 See-through specters haunt the backstage area of the Muppet theater, a Muppet News report warns of man-eating furniture, and Kermit turns the tables on Price during a long talk about acting by sprouting fangs and biting the horror icon’s neck. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 June 2026 African diasporic people’s contentious history with these formations of motherhood create specters of separation as reproductive injustice. — Literary Hub, 8 June 2026 Ever the sassy songwriter, Musgraves handles these specters like a pro with witty write-offs. — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026 Spectres are haunting the New York City Ballet—the spectres of kings and emperors. — Jennifer Homans, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026 Skeletal specters emerge as a consequence of tampering with such dark magic, and one launches itself at McAdams' Christine Palmer. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026 San Francisco’s iconic fog also contributes to optical effects, like fog bows and brocken spectres, which are rainbows around a viewer’s shadow. — Newsroom Meteorologist, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 Jan. 2026 The Duffers have always worn their influences with pride, and the specters of Steven Spielberg and Stephen King helped jump-start the series into a phenomenon. — Alison Herman, Variety, 27 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specters
  1. apparitions
  2. spirits
  3. ghosts
  4. shadows
  5. phantoms
Noun
  • That is, until miraculous apparitions turn it into a place to be.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • Today, the massive complex attracts paranormal investigators who report apparitions, voices, and other unexplained phenomena.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
Definition of apparitions
Noun
  • The wines and spirits division maintained its momentum with a 6 percent increase in organic sales, while revenues in perfumes and cosmetics were flat in the quarter.
    — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • These competitive spirits must defeat someone else, proving their mastery of the English language in the arena.
    — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of spirits
Noun
  • Members of her immediate family have multiple wives, and a close friend claims to see ghosts.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Their paranormal intervention involves Dichen Lachman as Lois Anthony, in a role best described as Chris Hansen for ghosts.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of ghosts
Noun
  • Depending on the time of day and the weather, visitors will see these spaces under different light and cast with varying shadows.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The diagrid also casts cool shadows that shift as the day goes by.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of shadows
Noun
  • Both phantoms were packed with thousands of dosimeters, tracking radiation dose over specific phases of the flight rather than just a cumulative total.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The two phantoms were designed to be adult females, since previous research found that breasts and ovaries are especially susceptible to radiation damage.
    — Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of phantoms

Browse Nearby Words

specter
specters
spectra
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Cite this Entry

“Specters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specters. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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