espionage
noun
es·pi·o·nage
ˈe-spē-ə-ˌnäzh 
-ˌnäj
-ˌnäj
-nij,
Canadian also -ˌnazh;
ˌe-spē-ə-ˈnäzh;
i-ˈspē-ə-nij
: the practice of spying or using spies to obtain information about the plans and activities especially of a foreign government or a competing company
industrial espionage
Examples of espionage in a Sentence
He was charged with several counts of espionage.
the acts of espionage on behalf of the Confederacy carried on by Belle Boyd and Rose Greenhow
Recent Examples on the Web
Anderson’s latest film, an espionage thriller, debuted a first-look trailer on Wednesday as part of Universal’s presentation to theater owners.
—
Matt Donnelly, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025
In 2018, Cerberus also purchased the only major U.S. business specializing in undersea fiber optic cables that transmit the world’s data—key infrastructure in the digital age, theoretically susceptible to espionage and sabotage.
—Dan Alexander, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Andrew King is general partner at Bastille Ventures, investing in critical technology furthering national security, and founder of the bipartisan nonprofit Future Union, working with the private sector to combat state espionage.
—Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
The easiest answer to its popularity is the genre blending—that the real-time concept, in the vein of the espionage thriller 24, helps the series stand out from the competition.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for espionage
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Matt Donnelly, Variety, 3 Apr. 2025
In 2018, Cerberus also purchased the only major U.S. business specializing in undersea fiber optic cables that transmit the world’s data—key infrastructure in the digital age, theoretically susceptible to espionage and sabotage.
—Dan Alexander, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Andrew King is general partner at Bastille Ventures, investing in critical technology furthering national security, and founder of the bipartisan nonprofit Future Union, working with the private sector to combat state espionage.
—Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
The easiest answer to its popularity is the genre blending—that the real-time concept, in the vein of the espionage thriller 24, helps the series stand out from the competition.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for espionage
Cite this Entry
“Espionage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/espionage. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
espionage
noun
es·pi·o·nage
ˈes-pē-ə-ˌnäzh
-näj
-näj
-ˌnij
: the practice of spying : the use of spies
Legal Definition
espionage
noun
es·pi·o·nage
ˈes-pē-ə-ˌnäzh, -ˌnäj, -nij
: the practice of gathering, transmitting, or losing through gross negligence information relating to the defense of the U.S. with the intent that or with reason to believe that the information will be used to the injury of the U.S. or the advantage of a foreign nation
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