1. a ghost or spirit of a dead person
2. something that haunts or disturbs the mind; a disturbing possibility

Examples

• The old mansion was said to be haunted by the specter of its former owner.
• She claimed to have seen a specter wandering the halls at midnight.
• The specter of unemployment loomed over the factory workers.
• The specter of war cast a shadow over the peace negotiations.
• His past mistakes returned like a specter to haunt him.
• The specter of failure motivated her to work harder.
• Economic collapse remained a specter that worried investors.