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”; spectrum
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.
On Tuesday, the labor organization said that management had raised the specter of canceling the ceremony during a call about contraction negotiations.
From Los Angeles Times
The specter of a huge capital-gains tax bill creates another major obstacle to selling.
As if investors didn’t have enough to digest, Friday renewed the specter of inflation, as well.
From Barron's
A specter is haunting the U.S. equity market, as seemingly every day a new AI feature sparks investor panic about fresh sectors that are ripe for disruption.
From MarketWatch
Even though the EU clinched a deal with the U.S., the specter of tariffs has never fully disappeared.
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.
