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Synonyms for

Spectral

Adjective / ˈspektrʌl / Another word for spectral — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

relating to or resembling a ghost; of or relating to a spectrum

Synonyms & similar words

ghostly spiritual apparitional ghostlike phantasmal ghostly spooky haunted eerie phantom ethereal otherworldly supernatural unearthly weird mystical magical mysterious strange uncanny fanciful illusory fantasmic dreamlike visionary

Synonyms by register

Formal

ghostly phantom ethereal incorporeal

Informal

spooky eerie haunting

Literary

wraithlike phantasmal spectral

Antonyms

corporeal physical tangible material substantial real solid

Common collocations

  • spectral analysis
  • spectral data
  • spectral lines
  • spectral density
  • spectral image
  • spectral properties
  • spectral response

Word family

noun specter
adjective spectral

Usage note

Primarily used in scientific contexts (e.g., spectral analysis) or to describe something ghostly or unreal. Avoid using it for everyday physical objects.

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Example sentences

  1. The old house had a spectral feeling that made me shiver.
  2. The scientist studied the spectral lines to learn more about the stars.
  3. The spectral mist that hovered over the lake looked like a ghostly apparition.
  4. She had a spectral vision of her deceased grandmother.
  5. The spectral glow in the sky was caused by the Northern Lights.

Quotes

  • The spectral evidence for God is far stronger than the empirical evidence for electrons. - Eben Alexander
  • The spectral quality of photography has always attracted me. - Nan Goldin
  • It is not the spectral evidence of the devil that has been found in Salem. It is the spectral evidence of the people who saw the devil. - Arthur Miller

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