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
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Recent Examples of spook
Eliana Dockterman, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
Technology The Big Story Potential chip tariffs spook tech industry
President Trump’s threats to tariff semiconductors are stoking alarm within the tech sector as companies brace for ripple effects across the industry.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 18 Apr. 2025
George Petras, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
Didn’t want to spook him, first of all.
—Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spook
Noun
The ragtag group joins together under the watchful eye of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a morally flexible private-sector spook who has been named the head of the CIA in the new film.
—Eliana Dockterman, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
Technology The Big Story Potential chip tariffs spook tech industry
President Trump’s threats to tariff semiconductors are stoking alarm within the tech sector as companies brace for ripple effects across the industry.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
You may have been spooked by the early arrival of Halloween merchandise in retail outlets, some of it around the Fourth of July.
—George Petras, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
Didn’t want to spook him, first of all.
—Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spook
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spook
Noun
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Simu Liu and Melissa Barrera play dangerous spy games in the teaser trailer for Peacock’s upcoming espionage thriller The Copenhagen Test, which dropped on Sunday.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Oct. 2025
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According to Chinese sources, one of its electronic warfare (EW) systems has successfully deceived a foreign spy plane over the South China Sea.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Families are turning dinner into an activity by using pizza dough or premade crusts to mold fun, spooky shapes, like ghosts, pumpkins, and bats, before topping them with sauce, cheese, and all their favorite fixings.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Oct. 2025
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The Chicago Tribune reported that the empty lot where Gacy's house once stood became a tourist attraction for true crime fans and ghost hunters in the 1980s.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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There are no effective repellents or devices that frighten away raccoons.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
18 Oct. 2025
-
One, frightened, pressed her belly into the pavement.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The president revoked Bolton’s Secret Service detail earlier this year, even as Iranian operatives remained under an indictment for plotting to assassinate him.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
15 Oct. 2025
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On Monday, dozens of Hamas operatives were seen at a hospital in southern Gaza during the release of Israeli hostages.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In Good Boy, Indy investigates strange noises and ghostly apparitions in the remote country house.—
Laura Martin,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
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In winter, breath crystallizes in the air, and the animals resemble pale apparitions in an otherworldly landscape of snow and ice.—
Susan Portnoy,
AFAR Media,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Although Fish Hut Grill typically has a line out its door, don't let that scare you away.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
12 Oct. 2025
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One great line to defend against and three others that won’t scare opposing head coaches.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Two of Beane’s top free-agent signings, defensive end Michael Hoecht and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, are returning from six-game suspensions for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Secret Service agents, immigration and border officers, airport security screeners, Coast Guard personnel, and Federal Emergency Management Agency emergency workers remain on the job.—
Terry Moseley,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Directed by Sylvain White and featuring early performances from Meagan Good, Ne-Yo, and Chris Brown, the film celebrates movement as both self-expression and a path toward belonging—perfect for the spirit of Homecoming season.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
16 Oct. 2025
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Simons didn’t let a lack of minutes early in his career ruin his spirit.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spook. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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