specter
Americannoun
-
a visible incorporeal spirit, especially one of a terrifying nature; ghost; phantom; apparition.
- Synonyms:
- shade
-
some object or source of terror or dread.
the specter of disease or famine.
Related Words
See ghost.
Etymology
Origin of specter
First recorded 1595–1605; from Latin spectrum “appearance, form”; see spectrum
Explanation
A specter means a ghostly apparition, a ghost itself, or simply an idea that people find frightening. You can give yourself nightmares if you listen to too many stories about ghostly specters appearing in dark windows. Specters as fears are the kind that tend to loom on the edge of our minds, lying dormant for awhile, then raising their ugly heads. It can be hard to sleep if you think too much about the specter of a terrorist attack, or the specter that your blabbermouth cousin might spill the beans to your parents about the night you two took your dad's car without asking. The word can also be spelled spectre.
Vocabulary lists containing specter
The Grim Reader: Wicked Words of Grave Importance for Halloween
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A Christmas Carol
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Uncanny, Creepy, or Downright Scary: Words For Halloween
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He was a regular on “Midday Live With Bill Boggs” and something of a specter for me.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
That should help the economy grow, even as the AI boom raises the specter of more white-collar job losses.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 25, 2026
In the early 1790s the Whiskey Rebellion against federal taxation raised the specter of national disintegration.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
That’s when the specter of penalty shootouts past returned to haunt the Azzurri all at once.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
She couldn’t help but remember the waterlogged specter on the trolley car who wouldn’t leave her alone unless she promised to deliver her message.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
