spook

American  

[spook] / spuk /

noun

1. Informal. a ghost; specter.

2. Slang. a ghostwriter.

3. Slang. an eccentric person.

4. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a Black person.

5. Slang. an espionage agent; spy.

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verb (used with object)

1. to haunt; inhabit or appear in or to as a ghost or specter.

2. Informal. to frighten; scare.

verb (used without object)

1. Informal. to become frightened or scared.

   The fish spooked at any disturbance in the pool.

spook British  

/ spuːk /

noun

1. a ghost or a person suggestive of this

2. a spy

3. slang any pale or colourless alcoholic spirit

   spook and diesel

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verb

1. to frighten

   to spook horses

   to spook a person

2. (of a ghost) to haunt

Sensitive Note

When referring to a black person, the term spook dates back to the 1940s. It is used with disparaging intent and is perceived as highly insulting. Black pilots who trained at Tuskegee Institute during World War II were called the Spookwaffe. Some sources say that black pilots reclaimed this derogatory nickname as a self-referential term of pride.

Other Word Forms

• spookery noun
• spookish adjective

Etymology

Origin of spook

An Americanism first recorded in 1795–1805; from Dutch; cognate with German Spuk

Example Sentences

The zoo has urged people not to approach Samba or attempt to catch her, warning this could "spook" the animal and push her out of the area.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

The latest development to spook markets was news that AI startup Anthropic -- which created the Claude chatbot -- had unveiled a tool that could be used by firms to carry out legal work.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

But he’s also watching capex spending forecasts closely as the rate of nonperforming loans relating to the AI push in the private-credit world pick up, which could eventually spook investors.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 3, 2026

But naming his own adviser to the role could invite questions about Fed independence that some analysts have said could spook the bond market—the opposite of what Trump and Bessent want.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

“That’s cute,” Mom says—carefully, without looking at me, like I’m a deer she’s trying not to spook.

From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli