the specter of (something)
idiom
: a notion or fear of something bad that might happen in the future
a nation alarmed/haunted by the specter of famine/war
News of the disease raised the specter of a possible plague.
Examples of the specter of (something) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Suddenly, the specter of China’s military power was no longer confined to the distant waters of the South China Sea or the Taiwan Strait – where China’s territorial aggression has escalated under leader Xi Jinping – but a stark reality unfolding much closer to home.
—
Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 6 Mar. 2025
The central bank’s six rate cuts over the past nine months have come amid lackluster economic growth in the region, and as the specter of tariffs on EU imports to the U.S. looms large.
—Sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2025
So with the specter of extinction looming once again, wildlife officials took them out of the wild and into captivity.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 26 Feb. 2025
Most in the legal establishment prefer the mirage of change to the specter of reality.
—Mark A. Cohen, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the specter of (something)
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Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 6 Mar. 2025
The central bank’s six rate cuts over the past nine months have come amid lackluster economic growth in the region, and as the specter of tariffs on EU imports to the U.S. looms large.
—Sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2025
So with the specter of extinction looming once again, wildlife officials took them out of the wild and into captivity.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 26 Feb. 2025
Most in the legal establishment prefer the mirage of change to the specter of reality.
—Mark A. Cohen, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the specter of (something)
Cite this Entry
“The specter of (something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20specter%20of%20%28something%29. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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