spookier; spookiest
1
: strange, unsettling, or frightening in a way that suggests the supernatural : eerie, uncanny
[Caroline] Shaw's composition … is a mysterious and densely layered four-movement work … with vocalization and spookier in-between sounds that originate deep in the throat: moans, gasps, exhalations of breath.Gia Kourlas
Olivia Wilde's new film … owes a debt to many spooky dramas about the dark side of the suburbs—think The Stepford Wives, with even more of a sci-fi edge.David Sims
sometimes, specifically : relating to, resembling, or suggesting ghosts or spooks
Spooky stories of Hawaiian night marchers (ghosts of warriors and chiefs) lurking around bushes and walking the trail are often told, but these haunted tales are not true, according to Lopaka Kapanui, a Native Hawaiian master storyteller … Christina Hitt
2
: nervous, skittish
Dealing with Louisa when she was having an attack was very much like dealing with a spooky horse. You had to exude self-confidence …Jane Smiley
spookily adverb
spookiness noun

Examples of spooky in a Sentence

The music was pretty spooky. a spooky horse shying at shadows
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.
Known for her work on Moulin Rouge and The Great Gatsby, the Oscar-winning designer brings a moody, vintage glamour to spooky season. Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 July 2025 The Practical Magic sequel is slated to hit theaters Sept. 18, 2026, just in time for spooky season. Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 14 July 2025 Other spooky movies nominated for Best Picture include The Exorcist and The Sixth Sense. Drew MacKie, People.com, 13 July 2025 Summer was only a few days old in June when the At Home store in far north Fort Worth was already a spooky Halloween wonderland. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for spooky

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spooky was in 1854

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Cite this Entry

“Spooky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spooky. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

spooky

adjective
spookier; spookiest
1
: relating to, resembling, or suggesting ghosts
spooky houses
2
: skittish sense 2
a spooky horse
spookiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on spooky

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