spook
1 of 2noun
ˈspük 
1
: ghost, specter
2
: an undercover agent : spy
spookish
ˈspü-kish
adjective spook
2 of 2verb
spooked; spooking; spooks
transitive verb
1
: haunt sense 3
2
: to make frightened or frantic : scare
especially : to startle into violent activity (such as stampeding)
intransitive verb
: to become spooked
cattle spooking at shadows
Synonyms
Noun
- agent
- asset
- emissary
- intelligencer
- mole
- operative
- spy
- undercover
Verb
- affright
- alarm
- alarum
- fright
- frighten
- horrify
- panic
- scare
- scarify
- shock
- startle
- terrify
- terrorize
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun Russia recalled its spooks after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Halloween is the night when spooks and goblins are said to roam abroad. Verb The noise spooked the cat. The little girl was spooked by scary masks.
Recent Examples on the Web
Rebecca Shinners, Country Living, 7 Sep. 2022 The Hall of Famer will take over the Halloween festivities at the Queen Mary ship in Long Beach, in a partnership the city hopes will be a slam dunk with families and spook-fest fans. Hugo Martínstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2022 Below, four not-houses of horror: For 25 years, spook enthusiasts have viewed Cincinnati’s Dent Schoolhouse as one of the scariest spots in the country. Matthew Kronsberg, WSJ, 20 Oct. 2021 Below, four not-houses of horror: For 25 years, spook enthusiasts have viewed Cincinnati’s Dent Schoolhouse as one of the scariest spots in the country. Matthew Kronsberg, WSJ, 20 Oct. 2021 Whatever the ghostly case may be, the Devil’s Backbone in Comal County has become the center of local paranormal lore — a perfect fixture for those seeking the ultimate spook on Halloween weekend this year. Annie Blanks, San Antonio Express-News, 27 Oct. 2021 Below, four not-houses of horror: For 25 years, spook enthusiasts have viewed Cincinnati’s Dent Schoolhouse as one of the scariest spots in the country. Matthew Kronsberg, WSJ, 20 Oct. 2021 If the high cost of it all is more trick than treat for you, here are several ways to turn your already smart home into a spook-tacularly genius haunted house. Jennifer Jolly, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2021 Bakeries across San Antonio have started to get their spook on as the city settles into the Halloween season. Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Oct. 2021 Julie Jag, The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 Aug. 2022 Here's something that might spook Halloween lovers: Home Depot's popular 12-foot skeleton decoration is currently sold out. Brett Molina, USA TODAY, 18 July 2022 In practice, forward guidance has tied the Fed into loose policies when inflation was accelerating, for fear that tightening too quickly would spook unprepared investors. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 Still, the danger is that attacks like Scorpion that smear the entire quantum enterprise may spook investors. Arthur Herman, Forbes, 19 May 2022 The closer the freeway encroaches, the more chance that the vehicular noise will spook the horses and endanger the riders. Bob Sandrick, cleveland, 21 Mar. 2022 Silicon Valley tech executives said that moving to block a deal in an embryonic area of technology might stifle innovation and spook technologists from taking bold leaps in new areas. New York Times, 28 July 2022 The uncertainty seemed to spook U.S. investors in Chinese stocks. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 10 June 2022 Global markets convulsed Monday, pointing to a sharp sell-off at the open for U.S. stocks as the uncertainty caused by slowing growth, roaring inflation, war in Ukraine and the pandemic continue to spook investors. Washington Post, 9 May 2022 See More
Noun
Surprise the guys and ghouls in your household this October 31 with a spook-tacular Halloween celebration. Rebecca Shinners, Country Living, 7 Sep. 2022 The Hall of Famer will take over the Halloween festivities at the Queen Mary ship in Long Beach, in a partnership the city hopes will be a slam dunk with families and spook-fest fans. Hugo Martínstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2022 Below, four not-houses of horror: For 25 years, spook enthusiasts have viewed Cincinnati’s Dent Schoolhouse as one of the scariest spots in the country. Matthew Kronsberg, WSJ, 20 Oct. 2021 Below, four not-houses of horror: For 25 years, spook enthusiasts have viewed Cincinnati’s Dent Schoolhouse as one of the scariest spots in the country. Matthew Kronsberg, WSJ, 20 Oct. 2021 Whatever the ghostly case may be, the Devil’s Backbone in Comal County has become the center of local paranormal lore — a perfect fixture for those seeking the ultimate spook on Halloween weekend this year. Annie Blanks, San Antonio Express-News, 27 Oct. 2021 Below, four not-houses of horror: For 25 years, spook enthusiasts have viewed Cincinnati’s Dent Schoolhouse as one of the scariest spots in the country. Matthew Kronsberg, WSJ, 20 Oct. 2021 If the high cost of it all is more trick than treat for you, here are several ways to turn your already smart home into a spook-tacularly genius haunted house. Jennifer Jolly, USA TODAY, 28 Oct. 2021 Bakeries across San Antonio have started to get their spook on as the city settles into the Halloween season. Paul Stephen, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Oct. 2021 Verb
The close call didn’t spook Nabors and Heckendorn away from taking their longer trek through Canyonlands next month, when the park will still be in the thick of monsoon season. Julie Jag, The Salt Lake Tribune, 24 Aug. 2022 Here's something that might spook Halloween lovers: Home Depot's popular 12-foot skeleton decoration is currently sold out. Brett Molina, USA TODAY, 18 July 2022 In practice, forward guidance has tied the Fed into loose policies when inflation was accelerating, for fear that tightening too quickly would spook unprepared investors. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 4 Aug. 2022 Still, the danger is that attacks like Scorpion that smear the entire quantum enterprise may spook investors. Arthur Herman, Forbes, 19 May 2022 The closer the freeway encroaches, the more chance that the vehicular noise will spook the horses and endanger the riders. Bob Sandrick, cleveland, 21 Mar. 2022 Silicon Valley tech executives said that moving to block a deal in an embryonic area of technology might stifle innovation and spook technologists from taking bold leaps in new areas. New York Times, 28 July 2022 The uncertainty seemed to spook U.S. investors in Chinese stocks. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 10 June 2022 Global markets convulsed Monday, pointing to a sharp sell-off at the open for U.S. stocks as the uncertainty caused by slowing growth, roaring inflation, war in Ukraine and the pandemic continue to spook investors. Washington Post, 9 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Dutch; akin to Middle Low German spōk ghost
First Known Use
Noun
1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1883, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Kids Definition
spook 1 of 2
verb
ˈspük
spooked; spooking
: to make or become frightened
spook
2 of 2noun
: ghost, specter
spookish
adjective
as in haunting
fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic the spookish interior of a Victorian mansion that had seen better days Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- haunting
- eerie
- eery
- creepy
- spooky
- weird
- uncanny
- bizarre
- spectral
- mysterious
- ghoulish
- unusual
- ghostlike
- terrifying
- unearthly
- curious
- queerish
- quirky
- uncommon
- ghostly
- metaphysical
- ghastly
- supernatural
- peculiar
- odd
- outlandish
- enigmatic
- horrible
- quaint
- puzzling
- terrible
- horrifying
- outré
- inscrutable
- dreadful
- fearsome
- unaccustomed
- enigmatical
- preternatural
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- normal
- common
- typical
- ordinary
- usual
- natural
- everyday
- routine
- commonplace
- prosaic
- familiar
- unremarkable
- predictable
- unexceptional
- expected