100+ Halloween Verbs

October 30, 2025

It’s Halloween again! To celebrate the spooky season, we’ve put together an extensive list of verbs perfect for this haunting occasion. Whether you’re writing a chilling story, narrating a scary urban legend, or simply chatting with friends and family, these Halloween-inspired verbs will help you capture the eerie spirit of the night.

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Table of Contents

Carving

Carving pumpkins is a must-do activity during Halloween. But have you ever wondered where this tradition came from? Well, the jack-o’-lantern tradition began in Ireland, where people carved turnips to scare off “Stingy Jack,” a spirit cursed to roam the earth. When Irish immigrants came to America, they used pumpkins instead, creating the glowing symbol of Halloween we know today.

Decorating

From haunting lights, cobwebs, and fake skeletons to eerie fog effects, many homeowners are decorating their homes. Even business establishments transform their spaces into a scary spectacle, complete with spine-chilling décor, to capture the Halloween spirit.

Trick-or-Treating

Of course, Halloween wouldn’t be complete without kids in costumes going door-to-door for candy! But did you know it all started with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain? By the 16th century, children in England were already going door-to-door, offering prayers for the dead in exchange for “soul cakes”—a practice known as souling.

In 1927, the phrase “trick or treat” first appeared in Canada, and after World War II, suburban life helped turn it into the candy-filled tradition we know today.

Brew

When you think of the word ‘brewing’ during Halloween, you’d imagine a witch (wearing a pointy hat, of course) brewing and mixing a concoction in a large cauldron. But did you know that for centuries, women brewed beer in cauldrons, wearing pointy hats and hanging brooms to signal customers?

Scare

A good scare is what gives Halloween its thrill. Psychologists explain that this “controlled fear” triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response, turning fear into excitement. Things like haunted houses, eerie music, and jump scares let people enjoy fear in a safe, fun way.

Banish

If you have ever watched a horror film, you have likely seen a priest, an exorcist, or a medium use the term ‘banish.’ But what does it mean? It basically means to ward off or remove the unwanted spirit.

Hoot

A lone hoot breaks the silence on a full moon Halloween night. Throughout Samhain (the Celtic roots of Halloween), owls were seen as night’s guardians and messengers of the underworld. It was believed that their spectral cries warned villagers of witches or wandering spirits.

Bob

Did you know that bobbing for apples was once a test of fate? People used to believe that catching an apple on your first try meant true love was in your future. As Samhain gradually evolved into Halloween, the old fortune-telling ritual became a lighthearted game everyone could enjoy.

Wander

On Halloween, wandering takes on a spooky twist. During Samhain, the boundary between worlds grew thin, letting the Aos Sí (wandering spirits) walk among the living. Families used to leave food to appease them and wear costumes to honor or hide from them.

Spook

The word spook comes from Dutch spook, meaning “ghost” or “apparition,” and first appeared in English around 1801 in a poem by a Dutch settler in Albany. It entered American English in the 1830s. But as a verb (since 1867), it came to mean “to frighten” or “to startle”.

Disguise

A disguise is more than just a costume on Halloween. Believe it or not, it’s actually a centuries-old tradition rooted in folklore and fear!

During the ancient festival of Samhain, people wore masks and animal skins to protect themselves from wandering spirits. Over time, this practice blended with Christian traditions, evolving into the modern costume customs we associate with Halloween today.

Bewitch

The word bewitch is closely tied to Halloween, evoking images of witches casting spells and causing magical mischief. From Middle English biwicchen (1200s), it means “to cast a spell.”

Haunt

The verb haunt dates back to the early 13th century, derived from Old French hanter, meaning “to frequent” or “to dwell.” But by the 16th and 17th centuries, it had taken on ghostly overtones, referring to spirits returning to their old homes. On Halloween, the word “haunt” evokes ghosts drifting through dark halls and the echoes of the past.