as in to notice
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
out of the corner of my eye I espied the squirrel making another raid on the bird feeder
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Recent Examples of espy
The film’s comedy is built from a series of infinitesimal touches and chance intrusions, as when Édouard, espying Charles in the street, leaps from his seat at a sidewalk café and jostles a waiter bearing drinks.
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Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 July 2024
Imprisoned by the Duke of Athens, the cousins espy the beautiful Emilia from their cell—and each man falls immediately in love.
—Andrea Mays, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2024
If a basket-hanger was espied by the recipient, the recipient would give chase and try to steal a kiss from the basket-hanger.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2024
Images taken from different realities, different spaces, times, places that have been sort of cut out and pasted together to create a new scene that depicts something that no human eye would ever have espied.
—Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2023
Resentful 1970s émigrés were prodding the West to espy its true enemy not in communism, but in an irredeemable Russia.
—Ignat Solzhenitsyn, WSJ, 23 Oct. 2020
The cub tried to sneak up on him, but was quickly espied by the older lion.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 20 June 2019
For instance, visitors can scan through an electronic infographic for terrariums filled with camouflaging Gulf Coast toads, then head outside onto more than 2 miles of dirt and boardwalk trails to espy the bayou's flora and fauna.
—Beau Evans, NOLA.com, 6 Oct. 2017
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 July 2024
Imprisoned by the Duke of Athens, the cousins espy the beautiful Emilia from their cell—and each man falls immediately in love.
—Andrea Mays, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2024
If a basket-hanger was espied by the recipient, the recipient would give chase and try to steal a kiss from the basket-hanger.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2024
Images taken from different realities, different spaces, times, places that have been sort of cut out and pasted together to create a new scene that depicts something that no human eye would ever have espied.
—Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2023
Resentful 1970s émigrés were prodding the West to espy its true enemy not in communism, but in an irredeemable Russia.
—Ignat Solzhenitsyn, WSJ, 23 Oct. 2020
The cub tried to sneak up on him, but was quickly espied by the older lion.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 20 June 2019
For instance, visitors can scan through an electronic infographic for terrariums filled with camouflaging Gulf Coast toads, then head outside onto more than 2 miles of dirt and boardwalk trails to espy the bayou's flora and fauna.
—Beau Evans, NOLA.com, 6 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for espy
Verb
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Without anyone noticing, the cat went into the family bathroom, sat on the toilet seat, and peed in it like a human, despite the fact that nobody had ever shown him how to use a toilet before.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
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Fans of Thai Orchid will notice several differences between the original location at 6504 Martway St. Dark gray light fixtures hang from its high ceilings.—
Jenna Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Comments James Cameron has unveiled the first official footage from Avatar: Fire and Ash, though the general public may have to wait a little longer to see it.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Columbia University was the first college to see its funding slashed – by $400 million – as part of the president’s threats to cut federal money to colleges accused of tolerating antisemitism amid the Israel-Hamas war that began in October 2023.—
Samantha Waldenberg, Carma Hassan and Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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However, in a surprising move, the World No. 2 was spotted visiting the Masters course before heading to the Texas Children's Houston Open.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
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The two were most recently spotted together at Los Angeles’ Birds Street Cafe on Sunday (Mar. 23).—
Marc Griffin,
VIBE.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Democrats are also eyeing an opportunity to advance with a win in the Great Lakes state.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2025
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Senate Republicans are eyeing potential consideration on a forthcoming compromise budget resolution this week to advance President Trump’s tax agenda.—
Aris Folley,
The Hill,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Espy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espy. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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