specter of doubt
- noun
- /ˈspɛktər əv daʊt/
- US
:
espectro de duda
- Even after his explanation, a specter of doubt lingered in her thoughts.
Examples
-
The sudden change in his story cast a specter of doubt over his credibility.
-
Meticulously stage your crime scene... With just enough mistakes to raise the specter of doubt.
-
The lack of evidence raised a specter of doubt in the jury's mind.
Synonyms
∞
1.6
A feeling of not being sure about something
296
4.0
Not being sure about what will happen or what to do
124
5.1
A feeling of doubt about an idea or claim when there is not enough proof
58
3.5
A feeling that someone or something cannot be relied on
34
4.0
A feeling of not trusting someone or something
27
5.9
A feeling of doubt or worry about whether something will turn out well
2
3.8
A small feeling that something might not be true
1
6.7
A feeling of doubt and worry about what will happen
1
7.8
A feeling of doubt or not trusting something
A hidden feeling that people doubt each other in a group
A feeling of not trusting other people
A feeling of not being sure about something
A feeling of doubt or low confidence
Antonyms
How Doubtful
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a persistent, haunting sense of uncertainty' is directly derivable from 'specter' (a haunting presence or ghost) combined with 'doubt' (uncertainty). Although slightly literary and metaphorical, the noun-of-noun construction is compositional and mirrors common cross-linguistic ghost/metaphor patterns, so a learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Specter of doubt may come from the image of a ghost-like specter that follows you and brings worry about something called doubt. That's why it means 'a strong and persistent sense of uncertainty or distrust' that troubles someone.