as in scaring
to strike with fear
the sudden noise spooked her out of her skin
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Recent Examples of spooking
Judging by overnight trading, the numbers aren’t quite spooking investors like Meta’s report did.
—
Alex Harring, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
For that same time period, Meta reported rapidly growing costs due to its AI investments, spooking investors and sending its stock down 9 percent.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
This week's headlines in the pet world left us crying tears of joy and sadness—from a puppy watching his mom and siblings get adopted before him to a clip of the Halloween season spooking a canine—but the week wouldn't be complete without a few highlights from our readers.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Constellation Brands, the beers’ parent company, warned in April that the president’s deportation push was spooking Latino customers and hurting beer sales.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025
In 2022, the British prime minister backed a mini-budget featuring a raft of unfunded fiscal stimulus, spooking the City to the extent that the pound spiraled to its lowest value ever against the dollar.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 2 Sep. 2025
Food Network is spooking up its programming with the return of Halloween Wars and Halloween Baking Championship.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
The paranormal phenomena spooking Spongebob and Squidward has a mundane explanation, but the entity flickering the lights turns out to be none other than Nosferatu, who reassures them with a terrifying smile; amusingly, Spongebob and Squidward are relieved to see him.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Trade war looms Overseas shipments this year have represented a rare bright spot in the Chinese economy, with domestic spending mired in a slump and persistent woes in the property sector spooking investors.
—Peter Catterall, Fortune Asia, 10 Dec. 2024
Alex Harring, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
For that same time period, Meta reported rapidly growing costs due to its AI investments, spooking investors and sending its stock down 9 percent.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
This week's headlines in the pet world left us crying tears of joy and sadness—from a puppy watching his mom and siblings get adopted before him to a clip of the Halloween season spooking a canine—but the week wouldn't be complete without a few highlights from our readers.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Constellation Brands, the beers’ parent company, warned in April that the president’s deportation push was spooking Latino customers and hurting beer sales.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025
In 2022, the British prime minister backed a mini-budget featuring a raft of unfunded fiscal stimulus, spooking the City to the extent that the pound spiraled to its lowest value ever against the dollar.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 2 Sep. 2025
Food Network is spooking up its programming with the return of Halloween Wars and Halloween Baking Championship.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
The paranormal phenomena spooking Spongebob and Squidward has a mundane explanation, but the entity flickering the lights turns out to be none other than Nosferatu, who reassures them with a terrifying smile; amusingly, Spongebob and Squidward are relieved to see him.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Trade war looms Overseas shipments this year have represented a rare bright spot in the Chinese economy, with domestic spending mired in a slump and persistent woes in the property sector spooking investors.
—Peter Catterall, Fortune Asia, 10 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spooking
Verb
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More to the point, here are two industries still suffering the effects of high inflation, and two areas where that’s scaring customers away.—
Kelly Evans,
CNBC,
31 Oct. 2025
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Like, scaring kids is important.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Kids will love sending this Dilophosaurus sauntering across the floor, frightening everything and everyone in his path.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
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Instances of swatting have been plaguing the nation for years, with fake shooting threats frightening the public and forcing schools, hospitals, grocery stores, office buildings, and airports into temporary lockdowns.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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That should already be terrifying enough, regardless of what happens next.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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Through twisting corridors and multiple stories, guests encounter terrifying live actors, special effects, and nightmarish monsters.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spooking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spooking. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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