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
Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield are iconic characters that are wonderfully resurrected in this remake, the spooks are top notch, and the whole thing looks, sounds, and plays unbelievably.
—Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
After a strong recovery from the pandemic, investors were spooked by the launch of Epic Universe in Orlando.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spook
Noun
There will be trick-or-treating, costume contests, spook-tacular inflatables, Halloween crafts and vendor booths to connect with families with community resources.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield are iconic characters that are wonderfully resurrected in this remake, the spooks are top notch, and the whole thing looks, sounds, and plays unbelievably.
—Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Verb
In the mid-1990s, when Catherine O’Hara flew into Lockhart, Texas, to begin shooting the indie mockumentary Waiting for Guffman, she felt spooked.
—Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
After a strong recovery from the pandemic, investors were spooked by the launch of Epic Universe in Orlando.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spook
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spook
Noun
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He was also sanctioned by the European Union in January 2019 following a nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England, which the British government said was carried out by GRU agents to poison a former Russian spy.—
Anna Chernova,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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That unusual role for a spy chief raised additional questions from Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees.—
DAVID KLEPPER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the book, the trope is introduced when Lockwood sleeps in Catherine’s childhood bed and is visited by her girl-ghost wandering the moors, demanding to be let in.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
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The show’s greatest strength was never just the jump scares or the hidden ghosts tucked into background shots.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Konstantin, 4, a sociable boy, is often frightened by loud noises and guards, his parents said.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Like the 1987 Kurt Vonnegut novel from which the restaurant took its name, Bluebeard encourages guests to drop their guard, surround themselves with other people and try something that frightens them a little.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Banuelos names Bowen as the political operative who allegedly pressured city staffers.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
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His espionage thriller Lioness, which stars Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldaña as CIA operatives, is in production on its third season.—
Uwa Ede-Osifo,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Though the governor left little behind to solve the ultimate mystery — where the staircase led —a rare apparition surfaced from Roman Germany, preserved for 2,000 years due to the Romans’ advanced building techniques.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
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And just as the questions are sinking into our souls, some mist starts to rise up from the floorboards of Tower 12 and turn itself into something like a human form, a specter, an apparition, a boy made real.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Why this message is designed to scare This scam relies on presentation, not accuracy.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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That kind of stuff is fun, [and] doesn’t scare me too much.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
He was also sanctioned by the European Union in January 2019 following a nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England, which the British government said was carried out by GRU agents to poison a former Russian spy.—
Anna Chernova,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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Right now, enforcement agents are often using administrative warrants, or internal documents signed by immigration officers that authorize specific arrests but not searches.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But the composer also makes great use of the saxophone, which playfully dances through melodies that transport the viewer back to the swinging '60s and evokes the spirit of Henry Mancini.—
Alex Galbraith,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
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At the bottom it could be motivated by the needs of the human spirit, some Wellsian desire to push out to the stars.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spook. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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