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 WebJim Clash, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2024
Parque Natural Metropolitano offers day and night tours led by guides who share insights about the conservation area's history, flora, and fauna (try to spy howler monkeys and sleepy sloths).
—Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Aug. 2024
David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2024
The film centers on Leopold Trepper, a World War II spy mastermind, who faced a Kafkaesque struggle in 1970s Poland.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 18 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spy 
Verb
In 1960, pilot Gary Powers, while spying at more than 70,000 feet above the former Soviet Union, was shot down by a Soviet surface-to-air missile.
—Jim Clash, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2024
Parque Natural Metropolitano offers day and night tours led by guides who share insights about the conservation area's history, flora, and fauna (try to spy howler monkeys and sleepy sloths).
—Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Aug. 2024
Noun
Antifascist spies like Vincent, Allen argues, are conspiring to deprive Americans of their civil liberties.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2024
The film centers on Leopold Trepper, a World War II spy mastermind, who faced a Kafkaesque struggle in 1970s Poland.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 18 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spy
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near spy
Cite this Entry
“Spy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spy. Accessed 7 Sep. 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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