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Recent Examples of incubus
The Devil’s Museum, a satellite of the main collection, has amassed more than 3,000 depictions of demons, evil spirits and incubus from around the world.
—
Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Your fame sits beside you like an incubus, and people are embarrassed and want to leave the room.
—Candace Bushnell, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2025
This meaning is visualized in Henry Fuseli’s 1781 painting The Nightmare, which shows a woman sleeping peacefully on a couch while a nauseating monster—an incubus—sits portentously on her abdomen, unbeknownst to her.
—Time, 28 Dec. 2022
As Tommy’s experiences in the tunnels of France mark a continued incubus for his character, with visions of being pulled into the mud, the sounding of the bell coincides with his own inner peace.
—Josh St. Clair, Men's Health, 13 June 2022
An incubus is the male variety (and also that band).
—Angie Jones, Glamour, 17 Mar. 2022
Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Your fame sits beside you like an incubus, and people are embarrassed and want to leave the room.
—Candace Bushnell, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2025
This meaning is visualized in Henry Fuseli’s 1781 painting The Nightmare, which shows a woman sleeping peacefully on a couch while a nauseating monster—an incubus—sits portentously on her abdomen, unbeknownst to her.
—Time, 28 Dec. 2022
As Tommy’s experiences in the tunnels of France mark a continued incubus for his character, with visions of being pulled into the mud, the sounding of the bell coincides with his own inner peace.
—Josh St. Clair, Men's Health, 13 June 2022
An incubus is the male variety (and also that band).
—Angie Jones, Glamour, 17 Mar. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incubus
Noun
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In the movie, HUNTR/X, the worldwide K-pop girl group made up of Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, spends their off-hours battling demons.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Feb. 2026
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The movie, about a pop girl group, HUNTR/X, that fights demons and protect South Korea from them, was a smash hit.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The bond between a rider and their banshee doesn't break, and chances are your bond with this two-figure set won't either.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
19 Dec. 2025
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Then, like an alarm clock, howler monkeys unleashed their banshee shriek, staking their territory as the sun rose.—
Ryan Knighton,
AFAR Media,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
-
Old Town The belltower looms like a phantom.—
Chen Yuhong,
The Dial,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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He's assisted by his pal Thaddeus (Johnny Pemberton), who can only help so much due to his status as a ghoul causing his limbs to fall off.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Feb. 2026
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With Adam Roberts announcing the tempos on the baby grand piano, the ghouls in Tevye’s nightmare emerge from around the fourposter.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Mykal-Michelle Harris from Raven’s Home guest-stars as Ruby, a mischievous moon imp who tricks Vee.—
Allison McClain Merrill,
Parents,
27 Oct. 2025
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It’s believed that the 13th-century castle is haunted by a magical imp who frequently visits the Markomanka and Hlíza, or black, towers.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In the glass, Eda’s reflection hovered like a pale-haired wraith.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
22 Jan. 2026
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On his journey, Geralt slices up several soldiers, a giant, ogre-like creature and a ghostly wraith.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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When Claire and Frank retreat to Inverness on holiday following the end of WWII, Frank spies the spectre of a Highlander staring up into Claire's window that abruptly vanishes.—
Amy Wilkinson,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Feb. 2026
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Jolie stars as Maxine, an American filmmaker who arrives to document a French fashion house during Paris Fashion Week under the specter of a potentially life-threatening diagnosis.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Juggling demanding apparitions alongside staff burnout, family pressures and a coworker who seems to know more about her than expected, the series grounds its supernatural premise in the cultural specificity of the Filipino healthcare experience.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
3 Feb. 2026
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An apparition will appear before us.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incubus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incubus. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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