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
Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 4 May 2025
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
Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 4 June 2025
Privatizing Fannie and Freddie could spook the investors who buy up mortgage loans, leading them to demand a higher return for their investments and pushing up mortgage rates, experts warn.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spook
Noun
Come Season 2, Colter and Russell were confronted by a government spook who knew an awful lot about Dad.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 4 May 2025
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
Verb
But months of upheaval at the Social Security Administration, which distributes retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to more than 70 million Americans of all ages, has spooked many who rely on money provided by the agency for either day-to-day help or for security in their retirement.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 4 June 2025
Privatizing Fannie and Freddie could spook the investors who buy up mortgage loans, leading them to demand a higher return for their investments and pushing up mortgage rates, experts warn.
—Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spook
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spook
Noun
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Oh no, the uncles are mini-golfing in Biloxi and spy Mina with Demetrius.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
25 June 2025
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The international community continues to watch closely as tensions simmer and Iran's spy crisis deepens.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Noun
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Even in areas where plaintiffs theoretically have power—say, in mass tort litigation—Gatsby’s ghost lingers.—
Aron Solomon
June 24,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
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On the big screen, he's taken on a wide range of roles, from the titular antihero in Hellboy (2019) and a not-so-jolly Santa Claus in Violent Night (2022) to a friendly ghost dad in We Have a Ghost (2023) and a former race car driver in Gran Turismo (2023).—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
21 June 2025
Verb
-
The woman inside banged pots and pans and screamed at the bear to try to frighten it away, officials said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
25 June 2025
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Winston Churchill said the U-boat peril was the only thing that really frightened him during World War II.—
Carl Burdette,
Baltimore Sun,
22 June 2025
Noun
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According to a 1996 Los Angeles Times piece, an 18th Street operative pitched his plan for taking over Orange County in a back alley in Cudahy, with two dozen associates in tow.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
27 June 2025
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The Mossad, Israel’s equivalent of the CIA, had personnel in Iran ready for the launch of Operation Rising Lion, something that was revealed in unprecedented fashion when the agency released video of its operatives at work.—
Rachel Wolf , Yonat Friling,
FOXNews.com,
26 June 2025
Noun
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Venus reaches its point of greatest western elongation on June 1, at which time the dazzling 'morning star' will be at its most distant point from the sun in Earth's sky during its pre-dawn apparition.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
31 May 2025
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The more apparitions that arrive, the more the Delta blues mashes up with hip-hop, rock, and other styles.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The camper attempted to scare off the bear by banging pots and pans and screaming at the bear.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
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The chemistry is real, but Nic scares me for Olandria.—
Julia Moore,
People.com,
27 June 2025
Noun
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Six crew members and a gate agent at Charlotte Douglas International Airport were taken to the hospital Friday night after inhaling something, according to MEDIC.—
Jeff A. Chamer,
Charlotte Observer,
28 June 2025
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In many cases, legacy systems can’t easily accommodate these autonomous agents without substantial reengineering.—
Sol Rashidi,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
Noun
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My ever-mutable container, my compact symmetrical spirit vehicle, nothing wasted, nothing lacking, like a dressmaker’s dummy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 June 2025
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Although modern historians still debate the exact details of his role, Craig’s life story captures the entrepreneurial spirit, religious fervor, and frontier innovation that shaped early America and led to the creation of one of the world’s finest spirits.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spook. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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