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
Failing that, the only restraint on Trump is the specter of a collapse of Ukraine playing out similarly to the way the American withdrawal from Afghanistan damaged perception of the Biden administration.
—
Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
As the specter of U.S. tariffs loomed at the start of the year, Chinese toy manufacturers in Yiwu city, a manufacturing hub, rushed to redesign Santa Claus figurines with rounder faces and blue eyes in hopes of appealing more to European consumers.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 29 May 2025
That money would enable Europe to support Ukraine for years to come, with few domestic political costs, the specter of which could help bring Putin to the negotiating table.
—Wally Adeyemo, Foreign Affairs, 21 May 2025
More than anything, though, the specter of Joel Embiid’s health hangs over this organization like a festering wound.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for the specter of (something)
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Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
As the specter of U.S. tariffs loomed at the start of the year, Chinese toy manufacturers in Yiwu city, a manufacturing hub, rushed to redesign Santa Claus figurines with rounder faces and blue eyes in hopes of appealing more to European consumers.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 29 May 2025
That money would enable Europe to support Ukraine for years to come, with few domestic political costs, the specter of which could help bring Putin to the negotiating table.
—Wally Adeyemo, Foreign Affairs, 21 May 2025
More than anything, though, the specter of Joel Embiid’s health hangs over this organization like a festering wound.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 12 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 14 Jun. 2025.
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