How to pronounce spook
Say it like SPUUK. Spook is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce spook. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SPUUK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Spook pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SPUUKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in book.
American vs British pronunciation of spook
American and British speakers say spook in essentially the same way: /spʊk/ in the US and /spuːk/ in the UK.
British respelling: SPOOK.
What does spook mean?
- A ghost or phantom.“The building was haunted by a couple of spooks.”
- A scare or fright.“The big spider gave me a spook.”
- An undercover agent, spy, or intelligence analyst.
- To frighten or make nervous (especially by startling).“The hunters were spooked when the black cat crossed their path. The movement in the bushes spooked the deer and they ran.”
- To become frightened (by something startling).“The deer spooked at the sound of the dogs.”
- To haunt.
Where does spook come from?
Borrowed from Dutch spook (“ghost”), from Middle Dutch spooc (“spook, ghost”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with spook
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of spook.
Questions about saying spook
How do you pronounce spook?
Say SPUUK. The American pronunciation is /spʊk/. In British English it is /spuːk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in spook?
Spook is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SPUUK.
Do Americans and Brits say spook the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /spʊk/ and the British form is /spuːk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.