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
Whoever the successful candidate is could carry the specter of being there simply to do Trump's bidding on interest rates, violating the Fed's traditionally apolitical veneer.
—
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 9 July 2025
Fast forward to 2025, and the specter of U.S. President Donald Trump’s 30% trade tariffs on the EU, which will kick in on Aug.1 unless a trade deal is reached, could bring them back.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 21 July 2025
In recent years, Beijing has demonstrated a willingness to leverage its dominance as a geopolitical tool, raising the specter of export restrictions or price shocks during periods of trade tension.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 16 July 2025
But behind it, Davenport sees the lurking specter of eugenics, a discredited pseudoscience that proposed the enhancement of the collective gene pool by eliminating undesirables.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for specter
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 9 July 2025
Fast forward to 2025, and the specter of U.S. President Donald Trump’s 30% trade tariffs on the EU, which will kick in on Aug.1 unless a trade deal is reached, could bring them back.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 21 July 2025
In recent years, Beijing has demonstrated a willingness to leverage its dominance as a geopolitical tool, raising the specter of export restrictions or price shocks during periods of trade tension.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 16 July 2025
But behind it, Davenport sees the lurking specter of eugenics, a discredited pseudoscience that proposed the enhancement of the collective gene pool by eliminating undesirables.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for specter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for specter
Noun
-
Here are 29 of the best bars in America for 2025, as chosen by USA TODAY Network journalists who know their hometown haunts inside and out.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
30 July 2025
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Fresh off of her repeat Emmy nomination for her role in Apple TV+’s Shrinking, Jessica Williams popped by her old haunt at The Daily Show to discuss how president Donald Trump is scapegoating famous Black people to distract from the mounting pressure over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
Choose from ghosts, black cats, and pumpkins, all with a range of colors to match your home’s color palette.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 July 2025
-
The nearly 150-year-old building also comes with a mischievous (and fictitious) ghost the team at Santé’ has dubbed Dante.—
Samantha Husted,
Charlotte Observer,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
Without decisive action, the shadow empire may soon eclipse its legal counterpart entirely.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Dust obscures light emitted from behind it, creating a shadow effect called dust lanes.—
Rebecca McClain,
Space.com,
31 July 2025
Noun
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This is a pen that is both weighty and lighthearted – fitting for the home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, whose life of bonhomie and good cheer was disrupted by adventure and dragons and ring wraiths and war.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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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
Noun
-
While phantoms of female anxiety, emotion, and pain proliferate across each timeline, Alma, Erika, Angelika, and Lenka articulate their own budding coming-of-age achingly, exquisitely.—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
21 July 2025
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Joy Behar's militia of terroristic digital devices, aural phantoms followedThe View moderator back to her post and wasted no time making their presence known at the top of Monday's episode.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
George’s horse spooks and flees; looking up at a ridge, Joe sees Yé’iitsoh.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2025
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The line-up of spooks will be familiar to fans of the British show, with some twists to account for French culture and history.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Mercury reaches its point of greatest eastern elongation on Friday (July 4), presenting an excellent opportunity to spot the rocky planet during its evening apparition in the post-sunset sky.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
2 July 2025
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While contemplating his former love and his future as a father, Massey conjures up the apparition of his beloved Catherine.—
Claire Franken,
TVLine,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Specter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specter. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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