1
as in spy
a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country
Russia recalled its spooks after the collapse of the Soviet Union
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in ghost
the soul of a dead person thought of especially as appearing to living people
Halloween is the night when spooks and goblins are said to roam abroad
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to frighten
to strike with fear
the sudden noise spooked her out of her skin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spook
Amber McBride, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
But many parts of the United States will be rain-free for the spook-tacular holiday, including the Southwest and much of the Rockies, according to The Weather Channel.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
Souring sentiment toward the vehicles’ non-traded peers, which have been hit with more than $15 billion in redemption requests from investors, also spooked public market shareholders, creating a buying opportunity for some investors.
—Olivia Fishlow, Bloomberg, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spook
Noun
The translation squeaks and spooks with imagery of haunts and death.
—Amber McBride, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
But many parts of the United States will be rain-free for the spook-tacular holiday, including the Southwest and much of the Rockies, according to The Weather Channel.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
The couple tries not to spook hope away with too big of a reality check.
—Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2026
Souring sentiment toward the vehicles’ non-traded peers, which have been hit with more than $15 billion in redemption requests from investors, also spooked public market shareholders, creating a buying opportunity for some investors.
—Olivia Fishlow, Bloomberg, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spook
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spook
Noun
-
Hong Kong — China’s top spy agency has come out of the shadows to warn that its young people are being duped by foreign forces into shirking hard work and prioritizing their individual emotions at the expense of national development.—
Sylvie Zhuang,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
-
Lu’s lawyer, John Carman portrayed the case as a mundane bureaucratic blip, not an international spy thriller.—
Michael R. Sisak,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The big hits came from pinch-hitter Troy Johnston, who hit a double to right to score ghost runner Willi Castro, and Jake McCarthy, who drove in Johnston with a single to center.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
9 May 2026
-
And what about Ctenocheloides attenboroughi, a living species of ghost shrimp less than an inch long?—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
The Lord in your convent frightened me, Jesus with his bloody palms and gaping mouth, eyes rolled back in terror.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
-
How To Keep Skunks Away From Your Yard There are no effective repellants or devices that frighten skunks away.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Federal documents show that longtime political operative and Trump ally Roger Stone has since joined DCI's effort, at $50,000 per month.—
Lorcan Lovett,
NPR,
3 May 2026
-
The problem is not that every national reporter is a Democratic operative.—
Larry Clifton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
There certainly seem to be apparitions in this music, some presence apart from the four musicians and the throngs of fans, which is intensified by the visceral collision of so many sounds.—
Stephen M. Deusner,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Those themes are alive here, as the ghosts who visit Depp’s Scrooge are intricate, terrifying apparitions not suitable for the whole family.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Shopping malls across Southern California have also struggled to bring sales back as immigration raids continue to scare customers away.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
Don’t let the threat of more rain scare you away from checking out what’s going on around Kansas City.—
Joseph Hernandez,
Kansas City Star,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
The 32-year-old Minter was coming off August 2024 hip labrum and microfracture surgery when the Mets signed him to a free-agent contract ahead of the 2025 season.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
-
Also, why did the other sub-agents not refuse?—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Barker’s other heroes include Nathan Fielder and Tim Robinson, comics whose work contains an undeniable dark streak, and who share his prankster’s spirit and high tolerance for unease.—
Alex Barasch,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
Vitello said postgame that Koss’ helmet cracked as a result of the bean ball, but Koss was in good spirits after the game.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spook. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
