Synonyms for

Spectre

Verb / ˈspektɜ: / Another word for spectre — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

a ghostly image or an unnerving apparition

Synonyms & similar words

wraith shade phantom phantasma ghost specter fantasm spook phantasm apparition ghost phantom apparition spirit wraith shade spook phantasma vision hallucination illusion fantasma bogle bogey hant manifestation revenant soul sprite wight

Synonyms by register

Formal

apparition phantom wraith specter

Informal

ghost spook haunt

Literary

shade specter phantom

Antonyms

reality presence tangibility solidity materiality substance

Common collocations

  • a spectre haunts
  • the spectre of
  • spectre of war
  • spectre of recession
  • spectre of death
  • spectre of communism
  • a terrifying spectre

Word family

noun spectre
adjective spectral

Usage note

While 'spectre' can refer to a literal ghost, it is more commonly used metaphorically to describe a threatening possibility or the lingering memory of something unpleasant.

Example sentences

  1. The old castle was said to be haunted by a spectre.
  2. I thought I saw a spectre in the mirror, but it was just my reflection.
  3. The spectre of war loomed over the country.
  4. The dark alley was filled with the spectres of the past.
  5. The movie was filled with terrifying spectres and ghosts.

Quotes

  • It was the spectre of poverty that drove him to work harder than anyone else.
  • The spectre of war loomed over the world, threatening to destroy everything in its path.
  • The old house was filled with the spectres of its past, and no one dared to enter.

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