as in haunting
of, relating to, or suggestive of a ghost
They spotted a spectral figure in the window of the old abandoned house.
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Recent Examples of spectral
Yun Zeng, a brilliant young horn player who this year assumed a co-principal position alongside Dohr, delivered a spectral solo that glowed through the murk and then was swallowed up in it.
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Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
That's where an experimental new spectral sensor comes in, as it's mounted directly on the underside of individual plants' leaves.
—New Atlas, 27 Nov. 2024
Rita walking through the spectral halls at night, always wearing her wings, is the image of a heavenly creature trapped in an inescapable abyss.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 22 Nov. 2024
The notorious artist is a spectral presence — the book’s beating heart is its narrator and her relationships with her mother, mother’s boyfriend, and fellow typist Shelley, as well as her relationship with the culture around her.
—Tomi Obaro, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spectral 
Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
That's where an experimental new spectral sensor comes in, as it's mounted directly on the underside of individual plants' leaves.
—New Atlas, 27 Nov. 2024
Rita walking through the spectral halls at night, always wearing her wings, is the image of a heavenly creature trapped in an inescapable abyss.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 22 Nov. 2024
The notorious artist is a spectral presence — the book’s beating heart is its narrator and her relationships with her mother, mother’s boyfriend, and fellow typist Shelley, as well as her relationship with the culture around her.
—Tomi Obaro, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spectral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spectral
Adjective
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Armfield’s poetic prose is haunting – sometimes beautiful, sometimes unsettling and often both.Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 20 Dec. 2024
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Combined with some of Cockle’s stunning photographs, the result is haunting.Longreads, Longreads, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The Ghost Fungus Words fail to describe the eerie glow of Omphalotus nidiformis.Scott Travers, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
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In fact, these eerie, soundproof spaces are the direct descendants of the ghost army’s original need to experiment with how sound could be manipulated without disturbing the public.Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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No matter the quality of what exists of the film today, piercing through the celluloid is the indelible creepy image of Schreck and his slender 6-foot 3-inch frame as Orlok.Tim Lammers, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
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Finally, weirdest statue: It wasn't built in 2024, but the Harry Caray statue at Waveland and Sheffield still reigns supreme as the creepiest memorial in town.Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Callahan’s vocals shine through with authority, sitting nicely in the phantom center channel.PCMAG, PCMAG, 17 Dec. 2024
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The Times often published the lists of their names and regiments, like a phantom roll call: the 121st Ohio, the 11th Indiana, the 29th Michigan, the 17th Kansas, the 10th Wisconsin.Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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In a video captured from a Los Angeles home, a ghostly figure appears suddenly in-frame and appears to move a drink to the floor of their patio.Jasmine Baehr, Fox News, 29 Oct. 2024
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The hitch is, the ghostly player can only communicate using surreal, almost dream-like vision cards.WIRED, WIRED, 9 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The industry is in a weird place, people are really hesitant to take chances on things ... who knows, maybe one day.Paul Tassi, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
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The salad is vegetal and luxe and weird, a bright spot in an otherwise underlit room.Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Making a film that’s exciting, that’s scary in moments and deals with supernatural — there’s a ghost haunting these ideas.Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024
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Happy whales strapped with barrels of coins, supernatural serpentine disco queens.Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 18 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near spectral
Cite this Entry
“Spectral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spectral. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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