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
Just one House Democrat voted against the measure, casting the specter of a shutdown as their best leverage to force constraints on DOGE's ability to freeze federal spending and fire workers.
—
Andrew Solender, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
Captured with the help of sophisticated radar mapping technology, the overhead view reveals the specter of structures submerged within the ice and a life only a few like Weiss could intimately describe.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025
Support for the reform has only grown in recent months as Mexico has fended off insults, threats of tariffs and even the specter of U.S. military intervention from President Trump.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the specter of annexing Canada since his inauguration to a second term as president.
—G. Patrick O'Brien, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the specter of (something)
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Andrew Solender, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
Captured with the help of sophisticated radar mapping technology, the overhead view reveals the specter of structures submerged within the ice and a life only a few like Weiss could intimately describe.
—Katie Hunt, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025
Support for the reform has only grown in recent months as Mexico has fended off insults, threats of tariffs and even the specter of U.S. military intervention from President Trump.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the specter of annexing Canada since his inauguration to a second term as president.
—G. Patrick O'Brien, The Conversation, 3 Mar. 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 4 Apr. 2025.
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