spooky

[ spoo-kee ]

adjective

, Informal.

, spook·i·er, spook·i·est.

1. like or befitting a spook or ghost; suggestive of spooks.
2. eerie; scary.
3. (especially of horses) nervous; skittish.

ˈspooky

/ ˈspuːkɪ /

adjective

1. ghostly or eerie

   a spooky house

2. resembling or appropriate to a ghost
3. easily frightened; highly strung

Derived Forms

• ˈspookiness, noun
• ˈspookily, adverb

Other Words From

• spooki·ly adverb
• spooki·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of spooky¹

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55; spook + -y ¹

Example Sentences

The Bell theorem refers to how entangled electrons are predicted by quantum mechanics, making them non-local — often referred to as “spooky action at a distance.”

From Salon

Temperton renamed it Thriller and recast it with a spooky theme.

From BBC

Peter “Rocky” Paez told investigators that a fellow Rascals gang member who went by “Spooky” had confessed when he showed up to a party a few hours later covered in blood.

From Los Angeles Times

When investigators interviewed Spooky, they told him Paez had blamed him for the killing.

From Los Angeles Times

For the tiki lover or macabre appreciator in your life, skip the mass-market-produced ceramic parrot mugs and opt for something spooky and small-batch.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• chilling
• creepy
• eerie
• ghostly
• mysterious
• ominous
• scary
• supernatural
• uncanny
• weird