specter

noun

spec·​ter ˈspek-tər How to pronounce specter (audio)
variants or spectre
Synonyms of specter
1
: a visible disembodied spirit : ghost
2
: something that haunts or perturbs the mind : phantasm
the specter of hunger

Synonyms of specter

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of specter in a Sentence

feeling so terrified that every shadow became a specter
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Perhaps most viscerally, given the ever-present specter of nuclear annihilation during the Cold War, Capps was appalled by Falwell’s apocalyptic rhetoric and cavalier posture toward global destruction. — Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026 At a press conference Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney raised the specter of US job losses due to Trump’s auto tariffs. — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026 But the specter of a public vote on the project continues to linger as a group of petitioners who oppose using public tax dollars on the stadium demands that voters get a say. — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 22 Aug. 2026 And the specter of inflation, oil prices and higher construction costs doesn’t help. — Diane Brady, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for specter

Word History

Etymology

French spectre, from Latin spectrum appearance, specter, from specere to look, look at — more at spy

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of specter was in 1605

Phrases Containing specter

Rhymes for specter

See All Rhymes for specter

Browse Nearby Words

spectatress
specter
specter bat
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Specter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/specter. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

specter

noun
spec·​ter
variants or spectre
ˈspek-tər How to pronounce specter (audio)
1
: ghost
2
: something that bothers the mind
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All