SPECTRAL Synonyms: 135 Similar and Opposite Words

spectral

adjective

Definition of spectral

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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of spectral Swift appears as a spectral figure trying to warn Johnson that, based on her own experience, her rich husband has more sinister intentions than his current bride imagines. — Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Oct. 2026 The spectral are getting louder, more insistent, more prevalent, and our literature, our cinema, reflect this. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026 The stairwell of the North Tower, or the five charred, spectral stories still standing, was being targeted for potential recoveries, and for good reason. — Peter Wilkinson, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026 The design uses spectral beam combining, which merges several fiber-laser beams into a single high-power output. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spectral

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spectral

Adjective

What unfolds is a heartbreaking, at times haunting story about a little boy who strove to become a legend, and the woman who understood his manic, at times reckless drive.

— Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
For decades, the 1934 photograph of the Loch Ness Monster was a haunting image of a lost world.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of haunting

Adjective

Fashion goths — think Gabbriette, Amelia Gray, and Tish Weinstock — are resetting the aesthetic mainstream, taking otherwise dark and creepy aesthetics away from the margins of subculture.

— Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026
The model called upon a team of stylists to turn her into the creepy and scaly figure of Greek myth.

— Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of creepy

Adjective

Graveyards, which would seem haunted by definition, are popular destinations, and a few in the state are legendary for their eerie atmospheres and ghost sightings.

— Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
See 15 inflatables and eight animatronics lining the lawn, creating a scene that’s both eerie and whimsical to delights neighbors.

— Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of eerie

Adjective

The story warns that, against all intuition, even a lone driver at night must always stop and offer the phantom woman a ride.

— Marcus Librizzi, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
The back of the unit has a line-in port, as well as a 1/4-inch guitar input and an XLR input for mics, including mics that require phantom power.

— Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of phantom

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spectra

spectral

spectrum

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“Spectral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spectral. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of spectral

adjective

Example Sentences

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