spooky

adjective

ˈspü-kē How to pronounce spooky (audio)
Definition of spookynext
1
as in excitable
easily excited by nature a spooky horse shying at shadows

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in eerie
fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic a spooky tale of strange hauntings and mysterious reincarnations

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of spooky Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Lydia Deetz and the Deetz family offer a slightly spookier option for families looking beyond traditional matching costumes. — ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026 Flitting between deadpan sorrow and impassioned romance, Bridgers’ album is alternately spooky, hilarious, mysterious and sneakily moving. — Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026 Nestlé’s Summerween Cookie Doughs Make your summer a little spookier with one of Nestlé’s Summerween treats. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Aug. 2026 The scene when Emily Blunt speaks in alien tongues was deeply spooky. — Adam Frank, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for spooky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spooky
  1. excitable
  2. eerie
  3. nervous
  4. haunting
  5. creepy
Adjective
  • Kalind, the younger brother of a bonobo named Kevin, was the more excitable and playful of the two.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, Deanna is a proud mother of three and an excitable introvert.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of excitable
Adjective
  • Its best parts have a grandeur that surpasses its industrial settings and gets at something eerie and transcendent.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026
  • As Bijan Robinson raced down the sideline and the rest of his Falcons teammates sprinted in pursuit, a mixture of an eerie hush and a stunned buzz fell over Caesars Superdome from a crowd still not entirely settled in its seats.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of eerie
Adjective
  • Everyone was in a good mood, if a little nervous about what was going to be discussed.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Alberto Hernandez Castillo, a Cuban national with lawful permanent residence in the United States, was also acting nervous, the agent said.
    — David Goodhue October 6, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • The Vegetarian by Han Kang, 208 Pages This haunting novel lures readers when a woman’s sudden decision to stop eating meat triggers a destructive crisis in her family.
    — Arabella Hau, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The glamorous, haunting, oh-so-theatrical love story of the legendary Baron Laurence Olivier and his equally iconic first lady, Vivien Leigh, is one filled with superlatives on both sides.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of haunting
Adjective
  • Soon, readers unsatisfied with Stoker’s version of events can chat to Renfield and hear that creepy familiar react in real time.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Early reviews put it in the category of useful but slightly creepy.
    — Hayden Field, The Verge, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of creepy

Browse Nearby Words

spooks
spooky
spoon
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Cite this Entry

“Spooky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spooky. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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