1
as in spies
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
Relevance
2
as in spirits
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 scares
to strike with fear
the sudden noise spooked her out of her skin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of spooks
Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield are iconic characters that are wonderfully resurrected in this remake, the spooks are top notch, and the whole thing looks, sounds, and plays unbelievably.
—Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
There are even more spooks in the follow-up season, The Haunting of Bly Manor.
—Kelsie Gibson, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield are iconic characters that are wonderfully resurrected in this remake, the spooks are top notch, and the whole thing looks, sounds, and plays unbelievably.
—Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spooks
Noun
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But the show’s dangers aren’t limited to supernatural creatures—sinister scientists, Soviet spies, and government cover-ups all loom large.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
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Duplicity, directed by Tony Gilroy, follows two corporate spies, Claire (Roberts) and Ray (Owen), who become embroiled in a clandestine love affair.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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For bones, spirits, and some menacing dolls, here’s where to go for a fright.—
Sophie Friedman,
AFAR Media,
22 Oct. 2025
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Budj Bim assigned the weeping she-oak (Casuarina) trees, whose whispering voices can be heard in the wind, to be the guardian spirits of the landscape.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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James Cook is a great running back and certainly helps open up the passing game, and while the Bills have a decent tight end room and some average pass catchers, there isn't one wide receiver on the roster who scares teams.—
Jon Conahan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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And yet, even though not having children is becoming more widely accepted and understood in our society, there’s something about a woman who has never been married that still confuses and scares people.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Fujimoto's violent world is set in an alternate timeline 1990s where Devils born of humanity's collective fears roam, and operatives known as Devil Hunters often form contracts with them to acquire their characteristics and powers.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
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Israeli warplanes had recently struck Hamas operatives in Doha, who were visiting a compound to discuss cease-fire negotiations.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Their story lines are connected by the Talamasca, a secret society that keeps tabs on the world’s vampires, witches, ghosts, and demons, like archivists and librarians trained in combat and engaged in spycraft.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
25 Oct. 2025
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Our resident puck-heads have always had a sweet spot for the old World Hockey Association and its myriad of ghosts.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Within my book, one of the things that frightens me most is the fact that with censorship, there’s often not a clear red line, right?—
Fiction Non Fiction
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
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What specifically frightens you?—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Bennett Lawson, who represents the 44th Ward, told CBS Chicago that tear gas was set off when neighbors protested federal agents pulling a construction worker from a home in Lakeview.—
Daniel S. Levine,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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Last week, Judge Ellis ordered agents equipped with body cameras to activate them during immigration enforcement and public interactions.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Throughout modern history, visitors have reported ghostly apparitions according to Scary Stories of Mammoth Cave.—
Graham Averill,
Outside,
28 Oct. 2025
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Over the years, those apparitions have become just as much of a fixture in the Palace as the ornamental turrets and columns.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spooks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spooks. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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