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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of spook
Scott Feinblatt, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2024
Because of Aliens, the Xenomorphs would shift from horror spooks to formidable combatants, eventually facing off with Predators in crossover movies and even Batman in some comic books.
—Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2024
Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
The former is at the heart of the government’s growth strategy, which is to promote investment, while the latter can also provide a ‘guardrail,’ so creditors of the UK do not become spooked by the additional borrowing.
—London Business School, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spook 
Noun
And though midnight movie screenings are still enjoyed by niche audiences, spook shows have been all but completely relegated to history.
—Scott Feinblatt, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2024
Because of Aliens, the Xenomorphs would shift from horror spooks to formidable combatants, eventually facing off with Predators in crossover movies and even Batman in some comic books.
—Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2024
Verb
The stock market has two divergent paths laid out for it, and the gap between the Democrat and the Republican on both policy and rhetoric has American investors spooked.
—Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
The former is at the heart of the government’s growth strategy, which is to promote investment, while the latter can also provide a ‘guardrail,’ so creditors of the UK do not become spooked by the additional borrowing.
—London Business School, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spook
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spook
Noun
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Zoom in: Both President Biden and President-elect Trump — and many spies, diplomats and defense officials personally involved in the tumultuous events of the last year — agree that Assad was doomed by the weakening of his allies, Russia and Iran.Barak Ravid, Axios, 9 Dec. 2024
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This John and Jane Smith are two lonely strangers who sign up for a mysterious spy agency and get paired together, posing as a married couple.EW.com, EW.com, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The ultimate effect is paradoxical: the more that Valéry eliminates the ghost of pain and passion from the logical machinery of his work, the starker and more affecting the moans and cries of the ghost become.Benjamin Kunkel, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
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Easier said than done since many of the ghosts that haunt Light Shop are jump-out-of-your-seat scary.Joan MacDonald, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Some sea creatures manifest that may frighten the littles.Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 26 Nov. 2024
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Carmen walks away, frightened, but Lenù gets even closer to the scene of the crime, asking witnesses what happened.Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The film centers on an ex-special ops operative who investigates a cybercrime syndicate after a young woman falls victim to a scam.Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Dec. 2024
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Along with billing itself as the world's largest provider of canine detections, Allied provides armed operatives that Kucera said have been in more demand the last 18 months and really since societal tensions heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
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To have a follower recount a feat of superhuman strength, or even an apparition, is hard for a layperson to fathom but has the advantage of having happened in the past and out of the view of nonbelievers.Michelle Weber, Longreads, 8 Nov. 2024
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But there can be more to a scary movie than just screaming apparitions or a gradually diminishing number of coeds with a bad sense of self-preservation.Keith Staskiewicz, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
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After moving to New York City in her mid-20s, Gloria Steinem made a list of the things about it that scared her.Sarah Medford, Architectural Digest, 12 Dec. 2024
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Still, the issue was not enough to scare off the NFL or the National Basketball Association, which renewed its contract with Nike in October.Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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His plan was nearly foiled by Canadian border patrol agents who were suspicious of his not having a driver's license, which had been ditched in his wallet in the lake.David K. Li, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
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The money is earmarked for further investment in the technology underpinning the platform – including features such as artificial intelligence agents that support sellers – and to put staff on the ground in its biggest markets, such as the US and the Middle East.David Prosser, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In the spirit of holiday giving, the team invites their community to nominate and vote for upstanding charitable organizations that support mothers.Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
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While these two often take center stage, there are ways to add a dose of yuletide spirit to practically every corner of your living room.Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 10 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near spook
Cite this Entry
“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spook. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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