variants
or daemons
1
as in ghosts
an evil spirit
only in rare cases is the ancient rite of exorcism performed to cast out a troublesome demon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terrors
a source of persistent emotional distress
a man who was finally able to conquer his demons and kick his drug habit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of demons
As Amadeus’ brilliance continues to flourish in spite of his personal demons, a questionable reputation and scepticism from the conservative court, Salieri becomes increasingly tormented by this apparent divine gift.
—
Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026
But when demons threaten to destroy the City of Immortals, her former lord Indra begs her to return—or else lose both Kaushika and her identity as an apsara.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Together, the two men battle the forces of evil, each other, and their own demons on the path to salvation.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
Ringwald’s prim, disciplined portrayal adds just the right touch of endearing spunkiness, while McCarthy, fighting with his social demons, is a likable rich kid with character substance.
—Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2026
Not until his problems are solved, his demons gone.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
The other meal celebrates the Saja Boys, a boy band made up of demons, who attempt to disrupt that mission.
—Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 31 Mar. 2026
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has released a new Organizing and Political Playbook designed to carry the party to victory in the 2026 midterms and increase its long-term competitiveness as Democrats aim to take new ground in Republican states and rid themselves of their 2024 demons.
—Alex J. Rouhandeh, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
His instincts, like his techniques, are relentlessly up-to-the-minute; Orsolya is hounded by not only her guilty conscience but also the demons of social media.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 1 Apr. 2026
But when demons threaten to destroy the City of Immortals, her former lord Indra begs her to return—or else lose both Kaushika and her identity as an apsara.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Together, the two men battle the forces of evil, each other, and their own demons on the path to salvation.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
Ringwald’s prim, disciplined portrayal adds just the right touch of endearing spunkiness, while McCarthy, fighting with his social demons, is a likable rich kid with character substance.
—Duane Byrge, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2026
Not until his problems are solved, his demons gone.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 31 Mar. 2026
The other meal celebrates the Saja Boys, a boy band made up of demons, who attempt to disrupt that mission.
—Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 31 Mar. 2026
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has released a new Organizing and Political Playbook designed to carry the party to victory in the 2026 midterms and increase its long-term competitiveness as Democrats aim to take new ground in Republican states and rid themselves of their 2024 demons.
—Alex J. Rouhandeh, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
His instincts, like his techniques, are relentlessly up-to-the-minute; Orsolya is hounded by not only her guilty conscience but also the demons of social media.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demons
Noun
-
That’s how ghosts come to haunt a place.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Of course, ne’er-do-wells saw an opportunity to dress up and commit crimes as ghosts.—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Boston, who serves as showrunner, creator, writer, and executive producer of the series has been ruminating on its terrors and delights for awhile now.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Film will ultimately survive as a medium even in the face of overwhelming terrors.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Other propaganda compared Native people to buffalo, cats, dogs, and devils.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
-
There are sounds and shadows in the forest; the Devil, or devils, may be walking the earth.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In the face of such grave concerns, Alyoshka’s torments seem self-indulgent and frustrating, but his problem—whether to leave or stay—is far from insignificant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
-
For example, Madrazo’s depiction of the daughters of El Cid echoes Yáñez’s treatment of Sebastian’s torments, and Guerrero has deeply studied Spanish baroque painting.—
Benjamin Lima
Special Contributor,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Created by a number of its stars, Ghosts originated on the BBC in 2019, following a group of ghouls from different historical periods haunting a country house while sharing the house with its new living occupants.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
25 Mar. 2026
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Now working as a stocker, Ash accidentally unleashes undead ghouls after reading from the Necronomicon, forcing him to take up his chainsaw yet again to save humanity from the Deadites.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Vanessa Van Helsing wakes up from a coma to discover that a volcanic eruption has blotted out the sun, letting vampires prey 24/7.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The freshman series focused on a secretive society called the Talamasca, composed of the men and women responsible for tracking and containing the witches, vampires, and other creatures scattered around the globe.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The vice president of the Gardner PTA, Oralia Rodriguez, even brought ice cream to campus in an effort to lift spirits.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Pernod Ricard has spent recent years moving away from wine and toward spirits, including the December sale of Mumm Napa to Trinchero Family Wine & Spirits.—
Aidin Vaziri,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Someone breaking in the middle of the night … tying you up, these … are things that are nightmares.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
For once, the Fort Worth Zoo was not the cause of traffic nightmares on South University Boulevard.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Demons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demons. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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