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spectre

British  
/ ˈspɛktə /

noun

  1. a ghost; phantom; apparition

  2. a mental image of something unpleasant or menacing

    the spectre of redundancy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of spectre

C17: from Latin spectrum, from specere to look at

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.

Critics have raised the spectre of "circular financing" deals in which investments by Nvidia in other companies may be clouding perceptions about how robust AI demand really is.

From BBC

The mood on the convention floor was noticeably more upbeat than a year ago, when the spectre of tariffs cast clouds over the event.

From The Wall Street Journal

This development has raised the spectre of disruptions to Iran’s oil supply, ANZ Research analysts say in a research report.

From The Wall Street Journal

Growth in India's IT back offices is slowing, stocks are underperforming, hiring has shrunk and wages have stagnated as the spectre of a new disruptor looms large.

From BBC

"Let whatever happens happen! And that's it!" she tells the BBC, adding that worrying about the spectre of war doesn't help much.

From BBC