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

• spy
• operative
• agent

Verb

• frighten
• scare
• terrify
• startle

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

George’s horse spooks and flees; looking up at a ridge, Joe sees Yé’iitsoh. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025

The line-up of spooks will be familiar to fans of the British show, with some twists to account for French culture and history. —Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 4 Apr. 2025

Verb

New York’s Democratic mayoral primary today has the city’s capital class spooked, as a 33-year-old socialist has caught former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the polls. —Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 24 June 2025

While the markets may prefer a cut, what really spooks analysts and investors alike is when Trump’s pressure over the base rate bleeds into questions of tampering. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 24 June 2025

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

Rhymes for spook

• fluke
• juke
• kook
• luc
• luke
• nuke
• puke
• souk
• archduke
• rebuke
• caoutchouc

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