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.
Gaga has been channeling her spooky, witchy side while promoting her latest album, Mayhem, which dropped on March 7. Robyn Merrett, StyleCaster, 10 Mar. 2025 The lunar surface will turn a spooky reddish color during the event for 65 minutes. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025 Universal Destinations & Experiences has multiple projects in the works, including Universal Horror Unleashed, a year-round spooky attraction in Las Vegas, and Universal Kids Park, a 32-acre attraction in north Texas. Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025 Steeped in often hilarious communal disagreements and spooky imagery, Spirit of Halloweentown is a colorful love letter to the town’s legacy and dedication to our favorite holiday. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spooky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spooky. Accessed 15 Mar. 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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