Thesaurus results for SPECTERS

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

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 Supreme Court agreed on Monday to consider whether Congress had the constitutional authority to impose a ban on distilling spirits in private homes more than 150 years ago.

— Michael Kunzelman, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
Jonah himself is remaining positive while keeping his spirits up thanks to the love, support and encouragement of his family, friends and all those doctors and nurses who care so much for him.

— Patrick Snell, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of spirits

Noun

From glittering ghosts, ghastly goblins and wicked witches to wily warlocks, fashion can inspire any Halloween transformation.

— Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2026
There were earlier versions of this story that were openly mocking of Kip, versions that threw Leo under the bus for being too sly; versions that were too overtly political; versions with ghosts that didn’t need to be there, and so on.

— Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of ghosts

Noun

These games are also lighter in terms of ray-tracing demands, running on the first versions of the technology, which were widely toggleable and focused on more realistic reflections and shadows.

— Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2026
The autumn sun is drifting southward and the angle of shadows is shifting.

— Dana Kelley, Arkansas Online, 16 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

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“Specters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/specters. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of specters

noun

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