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
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
Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 15 Dec. 2025
The increasingly circular nature of deals between key AI firms and the emergence of debt financing is also spooking investors, who are quick to draw comparisons to the dot-com bubble.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 27 Nov. 2025
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.
—Verb
That said, investors could have just been jittery amid the narrative of an apparent AI bubble, and were spooked by any sign of bad news.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for spook
Noun
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Just two good old-fashioned American spies, the Soviet Union, the Cold War and a lot of high jinks.—
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Guests will join the Harpers — a heroic spy network — to foil a plot by the legendary beholder Xanathar and save the city of Waterdeep.—
Noun
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For the better part of eight years after Super Bowl 50, the Broncos were an organization with delusions of adequacy, fielding mediocre teams with major problems with ownership drama, mismanaged rosters, ghost drafts and an endless carousel of underwhelming quarterbacks.—
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Tony Sparano, whom Ross inherited, Joe Philbin, Adam Gase, Brian Flores and Mike McDaniel are the ghosts who haunt this franchise.—
Verb
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The Secretary of State called the event an attempt to frighten public servants.—
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But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Noun
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Cuban operatives played a central role in shaping how the regime monitored dissent and protected senior leadership, embedding themselves inside Venezuela’s intelligence services.—
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Alexis Rodríguez Cabello A Venezuelan politician and longtime Chavista operative best known for his family and political ties to Diosdado Cabello, Alexis Rodríguez Cabello is currently head of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service.—
Noun
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The image combines each planet's nightly positions during separate 2025 apparitions, assembled by astrophotographer Petr Horálek, a NOIRLab Audiovisual Ambassador.—
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Sam slips back into her addiction and as her alcoholism worsens, so do the visions and apparitions that seem to be haunting the forest.—
Verb
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Just don’t understand the attraction of settling down with a book and scaring yourself half to death.—
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What's more, this door alarm features three sensitivity levels and emits a loud, shrill sound that will instantly scare an intruder away.—
Noun
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The tactics of federal immigration agents have come under intense scrutiny after the shooting of Good and growing skirmishes between federal officers and protesters.—
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He was removed by federal agents, who made entry into the residence and took the person to an ambulance.—
Noun
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Despite its name, the bar operates as a globally minded cocktail destination with equal attention paid to other spirits, along with small bites and an impressive cigar selection.—
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What’s unique about Tasovská’s approach is that the entire film is composed of Jarcovjáková’s photographs, infusing her artistic spirit into every frame.—
Cite this Entry
“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spook. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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