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
Relevance
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
Bruce Brady, Outdoor Life, 8 Apr. 2026
Anthropic spooks cyber firms; eyes IPO.
—John Kell, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
The translation squeaks and spooks with imagery of haunts and death.
—Amber McBride, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
There are even more spooks in the follow-up season, The Haunting of Bly Manor.
—Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 23 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
Usa Today, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
Remember that movement spooks turkeys more than anything else.
—Bruce Brady, Outdoor Life, 8 Apr. 2026
Anthropic spooks cyber firms; eyes IPO.
—John Kell, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026
The translation squeaks and spooks with imagery of haunts and death.
—Amber McBride, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025
There are even more spooks in the follow-up season, The Haunting of Bly Manor.
—Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 23 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
That confidence spooks your rivals!
—Usa Today, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spooks
Noun
-
Santat’s illustrations begin with straightforward, muted sincerity and become brighter, busier, and more gleeful—filling every corner of the page—as Sharpson’s narrator becomes ever more unhinged, ranting about fish spies, fish disguises, and fish taking over the world.—
Elise Broach,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The furry white marsupials, which waddle back into remote areas — places where humans would not otherwise set foot — are almost like spies penetrating the secret lives of pythons.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Customized services from the building’s concierge available to all include events such as wine and spirits tastings that will bring neighbors together.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The inclement weather was a factor early with slick footballs impacting the passing game, but the group’s spirits remained high.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Amid the positives, what scares you the most right now about the industry?—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
-
That distinction, between desensitization and normalization, is crucial to how Goldhaber and Mazzei approach scares in the digital age.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
His former clients include the political operatives Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro.—
Diego Lasarte,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Every other California gubernatorial candidate is left to fight over the scraps, while voters and some political operatives have a dim view of the remaining field.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That doesn’t mean the ghosts here aren’t scary.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Per the log line, in House of Stassi, Schroeder is stepping back into the spotlight to redefine her place in pop culture — but staying on top means confronting the ghosts of her past and a chaotic inner circle with a talent for disrupting her life.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The piercing sunlight frightens her.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 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
-
Bo Erickson | Reuters A source who was attending the event, and was briefed by Secret Service after the shooting, told CNBC’s Eamon Javers that a man with a shotgun had approached metal detectors and was shot by Secret Service agents.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Players and coaches have become maddeningly mealy-mouthed, striving to avoid upsetting agents, sponsors, owners, fans, thin-skinned politicians, and whoever else might object.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
But he’s journeyed to Lourdes and Our Lady of Guadalupe, both of which the Vatican has officially recognized as supernatural Marian apparitions.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spooks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spooks. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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