spooked; spooking; spooks
1
2
: to make frightened or frantic : scare
especially
: to startle into violent activity (such as stampeding)
: to become spooked
cattle spooking at shadows
Examples of spook in a Sentence
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
Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 4 Apr. 2025
Maduro appears to trust Cuban officials more than his own: Cuban spooks—not Venezuelan ones—staff his own intelligence shop inside the presidential palace, meaning Havana knows more about what happens in Venezuela than most Venezuelan officials do.
—Moisés Naím, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2021
Eric Andersson, People.com, 31 May 2025
But recent air traffic control issues at Newark Liberty International Airport have spooked many travelers, Humphrey said.
—Harriet Baskas, NBC news, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spook
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Noun
The line-up of spooks will be familiar to fans of the British show, with some twists to account for French culture and history.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 4 Apr. 2025
Maduro appears to trust Cuban officials more than his own: Cuban spooks—not Venezuelan ones—staff his own intelligence shop inside the presidential palace, meaning Havana knows more about what happens in Venezuela than most Venezuelan officials do.
—Moisés Naím, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2021
Verb
The ensuing action is gory and frightening — and even Wong got a little spooked by Hawkins.
—Eric Andersson, People.com, 31 May 2025
But recent air traffic control issues at Newark Liberty International Airport have spooked many travelers, Humphrey said.
—Harriet Baskas, NBC news, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spook
Cite this Entry
“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spook. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spook
1 of 2 nounspook
2 of 2 verb
: to make or become frightened : scare
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