spook

1 of 2

noun

ˈspük 

1

: ghost, specter

2

: an undercover agent : spy

spookish

ˈspü-kish 

adjective

spook

2 of 2

verb

spooked; spooking; spooks

transitive verb

1

: haunt sense 3

2

: to make frightened or frantic : scare

especially : to startle into violent activity (such as stampeding)

intransitive verb

: to become spooked

cattle spooking at shadows

Synonyms

Noun

• agent
• asset
• emissary
• intelligencer
• mole
• operative
• spy
• undercover

Verb

• affright
• alarm
• alarum
• fright
• frighten
• horrify
• panic
• scare
• scarify
• shock
• startle
• terrify
• terrorize

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

Noun

Because of Aliens, the Xenomorphs would shift from horror spooks to formidable combatants, eventually facing off with Predators in crossover movies and even Batman in some comic books. —Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2024

The world now knew the wordless Cold War enemies of espionage, the Black Spy and the White Spy, two interchangeable spooks hellbent on destroying one another. —Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Sep. 2024

Verb

Prince Harry looked genuinely spooked during a Halloween experience with Jimmy Fallon. —Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 Sep. 2024

The Wall Street Journal was spooked in particular by the size of the reduction. —George Calhoun, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Dutch; akin to Middle Low German spōk ghost

First Known Use

Noun

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1883, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

spook

1 of 2 noun

ˈspük 

1

: ghost, specter

2

: spy entry 2 sense 2

spook

2 of 2 verb

: to make or become frightened : scare