1
as in spies
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 spirits
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 scares
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 spooks
Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spooks
Noun
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Set during the Great Depression, a Milwaukee detective’s quest to find a Wisconsin cheese heiress lands him in Hungary and on a collision course with history to meet Nazis, spies, and swing musicians in the octogenarian literary giant’s first novel in over a decade.—
Tomi Obaro,
Vulture,
9 Sep. 2025
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The duo plays Emily and Matt, a married pair of ex-CIA spies forced out of retirement and back into the world of espionage after their secret identities are revealed.—
Jacqueline Weiss,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The category is projected to be worth roughly $8–10 billion USD in 2025, with a steady 5% annual growth rate through 2033, driven by rising demand in Asia and a global appetite for premium spirits, according to Data Insights Market.—
Gina Pace,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The film has Lorraine Warren, using her psychic visions, uncovering that the spirits in the house are masking the demonic presence — one that’s tied to the mirror at the beginning of the film that is also seen in the series’ first film.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Persistent, sticky inflation is what scares us.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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But for both actors, their horror movies are more about love than scares.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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According to Joe Truzman, a senior analyst with the FDD, the Arrow Unit’s membership is drawn from multiple sources in Gaza, including police officers, operatives belonging to the Ministry of Interior’s security branches, fighters belonging to terrorist factions, and civilian volunteers.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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In 2010, Israeli operatives were successful in killing a senior Hamas operative in the United Arab Emirates.—
Kristian Coates Ulrichsen,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Now in theaters nationwide, the third film in the franchise ends with an emotional gut punch as the ghosts — in some cases literally — of the titular estate came together for one last dance.—
Andy Swift,
TVLine,
13 Sep. 2025
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The bright orange bucket, sporting Home Depot's logo, features jack-o'-lanterns, bats, ghosts, spiders and spiderwebs.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Many of us are conditioned to think that our ultimate goal in life is to be with someone, so much so, that the mere thought of being alone frightens us.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Paxton’s interest in Paul’s plight was bizarre, obsessive and so far beyond normal operations at the attorney general’s office that the agency’s top officials struggled to convey their concerns during the hourslong meeting with two FBI agents.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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The guild was involved with the WGA action in the States and has struck meaningful deals of late with the likes of the BBC, Netflix and the trade body that represents UK agents.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Todd, the neighbor, even the strange apparitions are obfuscated simply because of their height, which adds to the eerieness of Indy’s experience but also makes Indy’s recognition of Todd’s voice all the more emotional.—
Rafael Motamayor,
IndieWire,
10 Mar. 2025
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Harker’s lonely investigations are often interrupted by jump scares courtesy of dark apparitions with the silhouettes of nesting dolls.—
Beatrice Loayza,
Vulture,
14 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spooks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spooks. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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