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
The cast behind the NCIS prequel are in the final days of their first season, and the pressure is on as the specter of Pedro Hernandez (George Paez) rears its head once again.
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Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Iran welcomed Saudi Arabia's defense minister to Tehran just days before another round of critical nuclear talks with the United States—an overture that underscores Tehran's bid to outmaneuver Washington's pressure campaign as the specter of a wider Middle East war looms.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
What happens now, when the specter of federal safety legislation no longer looms on the horizon?
—Uttara Sivaram, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
The White House showed no signs Monday of backing off its implementation of sweeping tariffs on dozens of other nations, even as its approach rattled financial markets and raised the specter of an economic slowdown.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the specter of (something)
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Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Iran welcomed Saudi Arabia's defense minister to Tehran just days before another round of critical nuclear talks with the United States—an overture that underscores Tehran's bid to outmaneuver Washington's pressure campaign as the specter of a wider Middle East war looms.
—Amira El-Fekki, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
What happens now, when the specter of federal safety legislation no longer looms on the horizon?
—Uttara Sivaram, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
The White House showed no signs Monday of backing off its implementation of sweeping tariffs on dozens of other nations, even as its approach rattled financial markets and raised the specter of an economic slowdown.
—Brett Samuels, The Hill, 7 Apr. 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 28 Apr. 2025.
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