General word for "imaginary bad things"?

In some languages there's a categorical word for all things which are evil and imaginary. For example, Strašidlo in Czech describes ghosts, bogeymen, etc.

Is there an equivalent word in English?

Solution 1:

I would suggest "monster", "demon", or "bogeyman" depending on context

If you just want to talk about the general category that includes Dracula, Xenomorphs, zombies, and such, "monster" is probably the best fit.

If you want to put particular emphasis on the evil nature of these things, then "demon" may get the message across better. Note that demon can also refer to a specific kind of evil entity, so this probably shouldn't be used in a context where that confusion is likely.

If you want to emphasize that these things aren't real, use "bogeyman". Because the bogeyman originates as a nondescript way to frighten children into good behavior, it has developed a strong connotation of unreality in addition to being evil in some way.