the specter of (something)
idiom
: a notion or fear of something bad that might happen in the future
a nation alarmed/haunted by the specter of famine/war
News of the disease raised the specter of a possible plague.
Examples of the specter of (something) in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
However, the specter of U.S. trade tariffs and subsequent macroeconomic uncertainty have threatened to once again hit consumer confidence and discretionary spending globally.
—
Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 16 May 2025
Democrats in Congress have also raised the specter of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval.
—Nik Popli, Time, 14 May 2025
The reason why is simple: raising the specter of international mediation encourages Islamabad’s unrealistic expectation that a final settlement will give Pakistan a greater share of Kashmir.
—Lisa Curtis, Foreign Affairs, 13 May 2025
But the new policy also raises the specter of a lawsuit over the ban and a host of questions about how the new rules will be applied.
—Ann Schimke, Denver Post, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for the specter of (something)
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Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 16 May 2025
Democrats in Congress have also raised the specter of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval.
—Nik Popli, Time, 14 May 2025
The reason why is simple: raising the specter of international mediation encourages Islamabad’s unrealistic expectation that a final settlement will give Pakistan a greater share of Kashmir.
—Lisa Curtis, Foreign Affairs, 13 May 2025
But the new policy also raises the specter of a lawsuit over the ban and a host of questions about how the new rules will be applied.
—Ann Schimke, Denver Post, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for the specter of (something)
Cite this Entry
“The specter of (something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20specter%20of%20%28something%29. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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