What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
spook
Example
The loud noise in the dark alley spooked me. [spooked: past tense verb]
Example
I don't like watching horror movies because they always spook me. [spook: verb]
Example
He's such a spook, he gets scared by everything. [spook: noun]
apparition
Example
She claimed to have seen an apparition of her deceased grandmother in her bedroom. [apparition: noun]
Example
The strange lights in the sky were believed to be an apparition of a UFO. [apparition: noun]
Example
The mysterious figure that appeared in the fog was like an apparition. [like: preposition]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Spook is more commonly used than apparition in everyday language, especially in informal contexts. Apparition is more commonly used in literature, history, or formal contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between spook and apparition?
Apparition is more formal than spook, and it is often used in academic or literary contexts. Spook is more informal and colloquial, and it is often used in casual conversations or popular culture references.
