spooky
- 01 B1 Intermediate
strange and scary in a way that makes you think of ghosts or the supernatural.
suggestive of ghosts or the supernatural; evoking a sense of eerie unease.
Simple“The old house at the end of the street looks very spooky at night.”
In context“The abandoned asylum had a spooky atmosphere that made the urban explorers feel as though they were being watched from the shadows.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
easily scared or nervous, especially used for animals like horses.
unpredictably excitable or skittish; prone to being easily startled.
Simple“The horse became spooky when the loud motorcycle drove past the field.”
In context“The trainer warned that the young mare was particularly spooky in high winds, often bolting at the slightest movement of the trees.”
UsageCommonly used in equestrian contexts to describe a horse's temperament.
From spook + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.