spooked; spooking; spooks
1
2
: to make frightened or frantic : scare
especially
: to startle into violent activity (such as stampeding)
: to become spooked
cattle spooking at shadows
Examples of spook in a Sentence
Noun
Russia recalled its spooks after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Halloween is the night when spooks and goblins are said to roam abroad.
Verb
The noise spooked the cat.
The little girl was spooked by scary masks.
Recent Examples on the Web
Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
For more interstellar spooks, check out our lists of the best space horror games and best space horror movies.
—Chris McMullen, Space.com, 22 Dec. 2025
Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
After a strong recovery from the pandemic, investors were spooked by the launch of Epic Universe in Orlando.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spook
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Noun
In the Neighborhood, but that score is really eerie as well, with some real moments of spook.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025
For more interstellar spooks, check out our lists of the best space horror games and best space horror movies.
—Chris McMullen, Space.com, 22 Dec. 2025
Verb
But investors were spooked Tuesday, selling off shares in legal and financial software and services companies.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
After a strong recovery from the pandemic, investors were spooked by the launch of Epic Universe in Orlando.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spook
Cite this Entry
“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spook. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spook
1 of 2 nounspook
2 of 2 verb
: to make or become frightened : scare
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