spied; spying
1
: to watch secretly usually for hostile purposes
2
: to catch sight of : see
3
: to search or look for intensively
—usually used with out
spy out places fit for vending … goods—
S. E. Morison
S. E. Morison
plural spies
1
: one that spies:
a
: one who keeps secret watch on a person or thing to obtain information
b
: a person employed by one nation to secretly convey classified information of strategic importance to another nation
also
: a person who conveys the trade secrets of one company to another
2
: an act of spying
Synonyms
Examples of spy in a Sentence
Verb
They were accused of spying for a foreign government.
I spy a motel off in the distance, so let's spend the night there.
Noun
He was a spy for the CIA.
My coworker is a spy for the boss.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sean Hollister, The Verge, 19 Oct. 2024
The Dutch exotic dancer was convicted of spying for Germany, although her guilt is debated by historians.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 15 Oct. 2024
David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
The series will be produced by Charman’s own production company Binocular Productions, which was the company behind Netflix spy series Treason.
—Peter White, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spy 
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Verb
In 2019, the US Interior Department grounded its fleet of DJI drones over spying risks.
—Sean Hollister, The Verge, 19 Oct. 2024
The Dutch exotic dancer was convicted of spying for Germany, although her guilt is debated by historians.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 15 Oct. 2024
Noun
Iranian officials told Newsweek that their intelligence services would be more likely to recruit non-Muslim individuals without links to Iran as Israeli officials accuse the Islamic Republic of cultivating spy rings in anticipation of future attacks.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
The series will be produced by Charman’s own production company Binocular Productions, which was the company behind Netflix spy series Treason.
—Peter White, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spy
Dictionary Entries Near spy
Cite this Entry
“Spy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spy. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spy
2 of 2 noun
plural spies
1
: one that watches the movement or actions of others especially in secret
2
: a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country
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