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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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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
Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
After a strong recovery from the pandemic, investors were spooked by the launch of Epic Universe in Orlando.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
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.
—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
Verb
In the mid-1990s, when Catherine O’Hara flew into Lockhart, Texas, to begin shooting the indie mockumentary Waiting for Guffman, she felt spooked.
—Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
After a strong recovery from the pandemic, investors were spooked by the launch of Epic Universe in Orlando.
—Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spook
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spook
Noun
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He was also sanctioned by the European Union in January 2019 following a nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England, which the British government said was carried out by GRU agents to poison a former Russian spy.—
Anna Chernova,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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That unusual role for a spy chief raised additional questions from Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees.—
DAVID KLEPPER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the book, the trope is introduced when Lockwood sleeps in Catherine’s childhood bed and is visited by her girl-ghost wandering the moors, demanding to be let in.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
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The show’s greatest strength was never just the jump scares or the hidden ghosts tucked into background shots.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Konstantin, 4, a sociable boy, is often frightened by loud noises and guards, his parents said.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
13 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
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This strategy of sending the notes to the media could be designed to ratchet up pressure, said Eric O’Neill, a former FBI counterintelligence operative and cybersecurity expert.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
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That unnamed co-conspirator is widely believed to be longtime Oakland political operative Mario Juarez, who twice ran for City Council himself but was never elected.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Juggling demanding apparitions alongside staff burnout, family pressures and a coworker who seems to know more about her than expected, the series grounds its supernatural premise in the cultural specificity of the Filipino healthcare experience.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
3 Feb. 2026
-
An apparition will appear before us.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Why this message is designed to scare This scam relies on presentation, not accuracy.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
-
That kind of stuff is fun, [and] doesn’t scare me too much.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
He was also sanctioned by the European Union in January 2019 following a nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England, which the British government said was carried out by GRU agents to poison a former Russian spy.—
Anna Chernova,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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Right now, enforcement agents are often using administrative warrants, or internal documents signed by immigration officers that authorize specific arrests but not searches.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
To see him in such high spirits, seemingly not dampened by being rested for the final half-hour as Chelsea continue to manage his minutes, was a rare treat.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The spirit and the symbolism were, at times, undecipherable.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spook. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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