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
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spook
Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 4 May 2025
The ragtag group joins together under the watchful eye of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a morally flexible private-sector spook who has been named the head of the CIA in the new film.
—Eliana Dockterman, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
John Towfighi, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
The ensuing action is gory and frightening — and even Wong got a little spooked by Hawkins.
—Eric Andersson, People.com, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spook
Noun
Come Season 2, Colter and Russell were confronted by a government spook who knew an awful lot about Dad.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 4 May 2025
The ragtag group joins together under the watchful eye of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a morally flexible private-sector spook who has been named the head of the CIA in the new film.
—Eliana Dockterman, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
Trump’s tariff chaos spooked markets deeply last month, making investors nervous about US assets.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
The ensuing action is gory and frightening — and even Wong got a little spooked by Hawkins.
—Eric Andersson, People.com, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spook
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spook
Noun
-
Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and the head of Israel's spy agency, Mossad chief David Barnea, were also expected to meet with Witkoff.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
13 June 2025
-
Ari Levinson in The Red Sea Diving Resort (2019) Inspired by a true story, Evans stars in this 2019 Netflix spy thriller as a Mossad agent named Ari Levinson.—
Devan Coggan,
EW.com,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
Think disco ball ghosts, skeletons lounging poolside, and heart-eyed skulls that belong on your gallery wall and your feed.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 June 2025
-
Just a ghost in the RAM, stealing data or encrypting files until the system reboots.—
Camellia Chan,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Verb
-
On May 18, Palmer and the cast attended the Shadyside High Senior Prom ’88 experience as guests explored versions of the gymnasium, lockers, girls’ bathroom and more locations designed to frighten fans.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
23 May 2025
-
What to know The Astra channel said that Tokarev, head of the military medical commission of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Sevastopol, got frightened during an air raid alarm overnight on May 1 sparked by a Ukrainian drone barrage.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
Noun
-
Ashman, a 23-year-old water operative from Stafford, was one of two suspects questioned about the incident.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
3 June 2025
-
Senior Hamas operatives with British citizenship have established charitable foundations that raise millions of pounds annually, some of which ends up in the hands of the group’s military wing.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2025
Noun
-
The series, originally from Monumental Television for the BBC in the UK, follows a young couple inherit a huge castle, only to find one of them can communicate with the various apparitions from history who already live there.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
3 June 2025
-
The listing appeared suddenly, like an apparition from the era when Yoshi’s reigned as the Bay Area’s premiere jazz venue.—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Commissioners debate impact fees Several commissioners expressed concerns that a sharp hike in impact fees could scare away businesses from building in Manatee County, from day care centers to manufacturing.—
Ryan Ballogg,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
-
Apparently, the card's $5 million price tag is not scaring off the jet-setters looking to make the U.S. home.—
Tovia Smith,
NPR,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
Then in September, a Secret Service agent spotted the muzzle of a rifle sticking out of a fence in bushes at Trump's West Palm Beach golf club while scouting the course ahead of Trump.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
-
At Trump’s West Palm Beach, Fla., golf course on Sept. 15, a Secret Service agent scoping out the area one or two holes ahead of him saw the muzzle of an AK-47-style weapon pointing out of the tree line on the perimeter of the course.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2025
Noun
-
Rush, who held degrees from Princeton University and the University of California, Berkeley, had an adventurous spirit, per his obituary in the New York Times.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
13 June 2025
-
Feminine elements such as florals, draping, and oversized fans nod to the artistry of couture, keeping the spirit of Balmain both rooted in tradition and forward-looking in its vision.—
Essence,
Essence,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spook. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share