1. A possibility of something unpleasant that might exist in the future: Nations are now alarmed by the specter of what might happen as a result of the terrible earthquake and tsunami such as that which took place in Japan.
2. A ghostly presence or apparition or an appearance of a supposed ghost or something ghostly: Janine was always afraid to walk in a cemetery at night because she was afraid that she might see some phantoms, or specters, of people who have returned from the dead.
3. An unpleasant prospect, a threat, or a possibility of something disturbing that is about to happen; especially, one that causes dread or terror: The specter of Sharon's son being harmed, while he was walking home from school during the rain storm, made her rush to meet him with an extra umbrella and to make sure he would get home safely.
4. A mental representation of some haunting experience: When Shirley came back from her walk, she looked as if she had seen a specter, or a spirit, of someone walking out of the graveyard by the church. © ALL rights are reserved.

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