spook 1 of 2

noun

ˈspük How to pronounce spook (audio)
Definition of spooknext
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

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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

spook

2 of 2

verb

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
Noun
Remember that movement spooks turkeys more than anything else. — Bruce Brady, Outdoor Life, 8 Apr. 2026 Anthropic spooks cyber firms; eyes IPO. — John Kell, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
These invectives evidently haven’t spooked Son, who once predicted that AI superintelligence would exist by 2035. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 16 July 2026 Hinz said Foots used to sneak off at night wrapped in goat skins to spook the couples parked at the lake. — Star-Telegram Staff, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for spook
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spook
  1. spy
  2. ghost
  3. frighten
  4. operative
  5. apparition
  6. scare
  7. agent
  8. spirit
Noun
  • During the first season of the Paramount+ spy thriller, the 34-year-old actress’ character, Cruz Manuelos, was mostly undercover.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Here’s a fish-out-of-water rom-com wedged into, um, a spy thriller about aliens in New Mexico.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of spy
Noun
  • Wade Barrett called Rollins the historical ghost who has haunted Roman Reigns for years.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • There’s one shaped like a hand grenade; another bears a white-sheet-ghost novelty trinket over the lid, denoting a ghost pepper sauce.
    — Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of ghost
Verb
  • Taylor contends the company welcomes more FDA scrutiny, and cautions against letting the outbreak frighten consumers away from eating fresh fruits and vegetables.
    — Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • Studios that let a government inquiry frighten them into caution are not managing risk.
    — Christopher Racster, IndieWire, 23 July 2026
Definition of frighten
Noun
  • In 2018, former campaign worker Alaina Hampton filed allegations against Kevin Quinn, a loyal operative of longtime House speaker Mike Madigan — and Hampton’s supervisor.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026
  • According to an official synopsis, season 3 of Lioness sees hidden networks, foreign operatives and personal betrayals collide, forcing Joe to walk the line between duty and home.
    — Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
Definition of operative
Noun
  • That is, until miraculous apparitions turn it into a place to be.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 17 July 2026
  • The music starts to shift beginning with the third episode, when Lestat becomes overwhelmed by the apparition of his abusive maker and other ghosts, including Claudia, whose killing he’d been forced to witness firsthand.
    — Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
Definition of apparition
Verb
  • Still, with McLaurin the only receiver likely to scare opposing defenses, each practice is an opportunity for the remaining players to make plays.
    — Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • Those movies may have helped scare younger viewers away from romance at all.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of scare
Noun
  • Hiring has cooled for entry-level software developers — work increasingly done by AI agents — and college enrollment in computer and information science programs has been declining.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Smaller teams of high-agency engineers and builders are managing fleets of agents rather than executing every task by hand.
    — Michael Wee, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of agent
Noun
  • There are more than 400 original contemporary artworks throughout Ibiza Gran Hotel, with many created by Mediterranean artists whose work reflects the culture and spirit of the region.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
  • The spirit of this new category is to shine a dedicated spotlight on these important artists.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2026
Definition of spirit

Browse Nearby Words

spoofs
spook
spooked
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Cite this Entry

“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spook. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of spook for Spanish Speakers

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