specter
Lingering dreadful presence
A specter is a ghost or phantom—an apparition that haunts.
The word carries a sense of dread: The specter of famine loomed over the region.
In figurative use, specter refers to any threatening possibility that shadows the present: the specter of war, the specter of unemployment.
Also spelled spectre in British English.
Visible supernatural manifestation
- phantomInsubstantial apparition
- poltergeistDisruptive supernatural entity
- wraithSpectral apparition of someone
- shadeDarkness from blocked light
spirit · banshee · revenant · spook · ghoul · phantasm · geist · eidolon
Source of potential harm
- dangerExposure to harm
- loomingAppearing threateningly close
- shadowLight blocked by object
- harbingerOne who foreshadows
foreboding · ominous · dread · fear · alarm · peril · warning · intimidation
Delicate beyond earthly measure
- invisibleCannot be seen
- immaterialLacking physical form; unimportant
- insubstantialLacking physical or material substance
- vaporousLike a gas, diffuse
phantasmal · translucent · evanescent · shadowy · wispy · formless · fleeting · elusive
Collective ownership system
- fascismUltranationalist dictatorial political system
- revolutionViolent governmental overthrow
- warArmed struggle between groups
- famineSevere food shortage
recession · collapse · ideology · uprising · tyranny · oppression · chaos · anarchy
Spirit communication ritual
- necromancyCommunicating with the deceased
- mediumMiddle size or state
- summoningCalling forth deliberately
- conjuringPerforming magical illusions
spiritualism · channeling · possession · exorcism · ritual · invocation · clairvoyance · paranormal
apparition
Visible supernatural manifestation
- phantomInsubstantial apparition
- poltergeistDisruptive supernatural entity
- wraithSpectral apparition of someone
shade · spirit · banshee · revenant · spook · ghoul · phantasm · geist · eidolon · manifestation
menace
Source of potential harm
harbinger · foreboding · ominous · dread · fear · alarm · peril · warning · intimidation · anxiety
ethereal
Delicate beyond earthly measure
- invisibleCannot be seen
- immaterialLacking physical form; unimportant
- insubstantialLacking physical or material substance
vaporous · phantasmal · translucent · evanescent · shadowy · wispy · formless · fleeting · elusive · nebulous
communism
Collective ownership system
- fascismUltranationalist dictatorial political system
- revolutionViolent governmental overthrow
- warArmed struggle between groups
famine · recession · collapse · ideology · uprising · tyranny · oppression · chaos · anarchy · dictatorship
séance
Spirit communication ritual
- necromancyCommunicating with the deceased
- mediumMiddle size or state
- summoningCalling forth deliberately
conjuring · spiritualism · channeling · possession · exorcism · ritual · invocation · clairvoyance · paranormal · psychic
memory
Mind's retention capacity
- pastTime already gone
- lingeringRemaining beyond expected duration
- persistentContinuing despite difficulty
inescapable · reminder · echo · shadow · trauma · guilt · regret · nostalgia · grief · loss
- supernatural beingsghost, demon, phantom, banshee, werewolf
- Scottish Lorekelpie, selkie, brownie, Loch Ness Monster, Nessie
- beingsbeings, being, entities, entity, creatures
- fantasywizard, witch, magic, dragon, elf
- mythical creaturesdragon, dragons, vampire, vampires, werewolf
- paranormalghosts, paranormal, haunting, poltergeist, apparition
specterflesh and blood
One's close relatives
living being · mortal · human being · substance · body
specteractuality
State of existing fact
absence · the here and now · here and now · the present · oblivion
- political spectrumRange of belief systems
- color spectrumVisible wavelength continuum
- on the spectrumHaving autism traits
- spectator sportsGames watched, not played
- light spectrumRange of electromagnetic wavelengths
- broad spectrumCovering many categories
respect, suspect, inspect, inspection, inspector, spectrum, spectacle, spectator, spectral