Skip to main content
spookiness

spookiness

5.1
A tendency to get easily frightened or startled
  • noun
  • /ˈspuːkɪnəs/
translation icon : miedo
  • Children often react to the spookiness of Halloween decorations with both fear and excitement.

Examples

  • The spookiness of the abandoned house made everyone too afraid to enter.

  • It's indicative of the movie itself—striving for spookiness but ending up as hollow and meaningless.

    Blog text (15)
  • The spookiness of the dark forest made the hikers feel uneasy as they walked through.

Synonyms

fearfulness
vsspookiness
1 4.5

Being easily frightened and nervous in new or dangerous situations

is more about sudden reactions or startles than lasting fear
jumpiness
vsspookiness
1 5.9

Being nervous and easily scared by small noises or movements

is a general tendency to be frightened rather than sudden startles
fearsomeness
vsspookiness
6.4

A tendency to be easily scared or nervous

is more about a general fright reaction than timid nervousness

Antonyms

9 2.7

A state without strong feelings or worry in your mind

8 4.1

Not being afraid in danger or trouble

How Timid

timidity
7 5.8
spookiness
5.1
nervousness
36 2.7
wariness
6 5.4
calmness
9 2.7

Surface Forms

spookiness singular
spookinesses plural

Morphology

spookiness = spooky (transparent) = spook + y + ness

Formed from the adjective 'spooky' + the noun-forming suffix '-ness'; the meaning is directly the quality of being spooky (easily frightened/startled).

Etymology

Spookiness comes from the word spook, a Dutch word for 'ghost', and the English spooky meaning 'scary'. So spookiness can mean being easily frightened or jumpy, for example when a horse or person reacts suddenly to small noises.