spook

1 of 2

noun

1
2
: an undercover agent : spy
spookish adjective

spook

2 of 2

verb

spooked; spooking; spooks

transitive verb

1
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

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
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.
Noun
However, her tragic demise spooks and haunts Jen, since her death is incredibly horrible and sad, rocking the whole Capesode community. Lisa Stardust, People.com, 14 May 2025 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
Verb
Fast-casual rival Chipotle said its transactions fell 2.3% in the first quarter as consumers pulled back their spending in February, spooked by economic uncertainty. Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 15 May 2025 President Trump’s campaign of import tariffs has consumers spooked about looming price hikes on imports from around the globe. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for spook

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of spook was in 1801

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spook. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

spook

1 of 2 noun

spook

2 of 2 verb
: to make or become frightened : scare

More from Merriam-Webster on spook

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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