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
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
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
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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
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Disney+ nabs the upcoming live-action series featuring the friendly ghost.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
-
There are historical buildings to explore, with shops and exhibits inside, along with an onsite restaurant and saloon, a train ride, and ghost tours.—
Nina Ruggiero,
Travel + Leisure,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
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
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Several critics said the legislation introduces too many unknowns, adding that with the artificial intelligence legislation also under consideration, Connecticut is moving towards regulations that could frighten companies looking to grow in the state.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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The problem is not that every national reporter is a Democratic operative.—
Larry Clifton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Noun
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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
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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
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Eriksson Ek scare Top Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek left 29 seconds into the third period after sliding awkwardly into the boards.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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The lobby is where the elderly owner scares children with tales of a witch who once haunted these grounds.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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Also, why did the other sub-agents not refuse?—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Noun
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For the cover of the May 11 & 18, 2026, special issue, themed around America’s 250th birthday, the cartoonist Barry Blitt portrays George Washington, the country’s first President, caught in the spirit of the moment.—
Françoise Mouly,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Mayor Mamdani was elected with that spirit at the center of his agenda.—
Jonathan Timm,
New York Daily News,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spook. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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