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
But Fly Me to the Moon barely develops its lead characters, played by Johansson and Channing Tatum, so what chance does Harrelson have in playing anything more than a one-dimensional spook? Tim Grierson, Vulture, 14 July 2024 Read on for what the cosmos have in store for your zodiac sign this Halloween amid Scorpio season, according to PEOPLE's resident astrologer Kyle Thomas Comments There's a spook in the stars! Skyler Caruso, People.com, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
Like most grocery items, turkey prices rose alongside overall inflation in recent years, which may have spooked consumers in 2024, said Ashley Kohls, the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association's executive director. Renee Hickman, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024 Donald Trump ’s decisive victory in the U.S. presidential election has spooked clean energy investors that the Inflation Reduction Act could be on the chopping block. Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near spook

Cite this Entry

“Spook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spook. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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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