as in espionage
the secret gathering of information on others
traditionally, anyone caught engaging in spying during wartime was shot or hanged
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in spotting
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
I spy a motel off in the distance, so let's spend the night there
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of spying
Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025
He is best known for leading Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency — tasked with spying for the government — for four years until 2017, stepping down after he was suspended and later sacked by Tinubu’s predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.
—Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 28 Nov. 2025
Having unwittingly helped the powers that be further their flying-monkey spying program, Elphaba — powerful, misunderstood, knows how to rock a pointy hat — has stolen the spell book known as the Grimmerie and declared war on the con artist known as Wizard.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2025
The sale has also raised intelligence concerns that China could gather information about the plane's technology through spying or its military ties with Saudi Arabia.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025
How does satellite ‘spying’ work and how is it detected?
—Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Marlowe’s supposed involvement in spying then becomes the skeleton key to his psyche.
—Isaac Butler, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025
Jet-like capabilities The tank has radar, electronic tools for spying, and advanced communication systems.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025
The United States continues its spying activity in Northeast Asia amid China's military threat, as one of its unmanned aircraft was spotted flying near the East Asian power.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025
The soaring golden orbs may have fooled my eager spying eyes a few times.
—Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 20 Dec. 2025
Russian personnel with links to the country’s military and security services have engaged in spying in European waters while working covertly on ships carrying Russian oil, Western and Ukrainian intelligence sources exclusively told CNN.
—Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025
And don’t forget spying whale spouts from the coastal cliffs, sans guardrails!
—Crai S Bower, Outside, 18 Dec. 2025
Busby says since spying the rare deer for the first time, and being left confused and charmed by the animal's unique coat, the piebald deer has appeared around his home several more times.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025
During Pollard’s detention, Huckabee was among several pro-Israeli politicians who advocated for his release, arguing that the sentence was too severe for someone who had been spying for an ally.
—Paul Goldman, NBC news, 21 Nov. 2025
They were linked in a secret video shown to Party members to a Cuban businessman accused of spying for Spain, though they were never charged.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
In 2024, 64 people in Taiwan were prosecuted for spying for China—more than the previous two years combined—with principal targets being current or former military personnel.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
Keshavarz was tried and sentenced to death in connection with the spying accusations.
—Verb
Various others have been executed in Iran in recent years before the June conflict on allegations of spying for the Mossad, including multiple earlier this year.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for spying
Noun
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Last year, Vinatier was also charged with espionage, according to the FSB — a criminal offense punishable by 10 to 20 years in prison in Russia.—
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Aldrich Ames, a former CIA case officer arrested by the FBI in 1994 and sentenced to life in prison for espionage, died in custody on Monday, according to a spokesperson for the US Bureau of Prisons.—
Verb
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Having designed dozens of homes and studied many more, interior designers become accustomed to spotting some of the same home accessories over and over again.—
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There’s great wildlife spotting.—
Verb
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Or noticing that your hands feel inexplicably stiff and swollen, making simple tasks like opening a jar or even typing feel unusually difficult.—
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The second witness went inside for safety, then re-emerged, noticing the brothers were fighting, court records state.—
Verb
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Federal officials have said agents, including those part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, are seeing increases in assaults and threats against them.—
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Since the suitcase won’t be as easy to zip open, thieves will have a harder time seeing whether or not your belongings are valuable; this alone could prevent your bag from becoming a target.—
Verb
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The valuation gap could be wide if OpenAI is eyeing $1 trillion, according to Nick Patience, who leads AI coverage at The Futurum Group.—
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The project has been in development for the past few months, with Sweeney eyeing to return to star and exec produce, and co-star Michele Morrone also looking to reprise.—
Verb
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The township is arguing that state law regarding government employee protections against lawsuits conflicts with federal court rulings.—
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Currently, there are no specifics available regarding the size of area burned or the crew conducting the prescribed fire.—
Verb
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The goggles act as both a viewing interface and a recording device.—
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Thomas Jefferson, as secretary of state, passionately advocated honoring the treaty, viewing it as a debt of gratitude to a nation that shared republican ideals and had sacrificed much for American liberty.—
Cite this Entry
“Spying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spying. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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