Word
spooked
US/ˈspukt/
UK/spˈuːkt/
Definition
adj. feeling sudden fear or nervousness, especially because of something unexpected. You use this when someone or something is easily frightened.
adj. feeling sudden alarm or nervousness; easily startled. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'get', 'feel', or 'look'.
Examples
“The horse got spooked by the loud thunder.”
“Investors were spooked by the sudden drop in stock prices and began selling their shares.”
“The sudden rustle of leaves in the dark woods left the hikers feeling spooked, making every shadow look like a potential threat.”
Examples
simple
“The horse got spooked by the loud thunder.”
contextual
“Investors were spooked by the sudden drop in stock prices and began selling their shares.”
complex
“The sudden rustle of leaves in the dark woods left the hikers feeling spooked, making every shadow look like a potential threat.”
Usage
Often follows linking verbs like 'get', 'feel', or 'look'.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/spooked