: software that is installed in a computer or mobile device without the user's knowledge and that transmits information about the user's activities
Jan should scan her computer for viruses, worms, and spyware …—
Kenneth Baldauf and Ralph Stair
Kenneth Baldauf and Ralph StairSmartphones belonging to more than three dozen journalists, human rights activists, and business executives have been infected with powerful spyware that an Israeli firm sells, purportedly to catch terrorists and criminals, The Washington Post and other publications reported.—Dan Goodin
Dan GoodinExamples of spyware in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Which, as anyone who actually gives it any thought would know, is simply not possible without the searched for number being that of a device that had been compromised by advanced spyware.
—Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Experts at Pitt Cyber said parents need to explain the risks of being online, be vigilant and monitor their kids' activity and consider parental spyware.
—Erika Stanish, CBS News, 7 May 2026
In 2024, hackers infected computers at multiple hotels with a type of consumer-grade spyware known as stalkerware.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
An independent investigation later confirmed that his phone had been compromised by Pegasus spyware in 2020.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spyware
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Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
Experts at Pitt Cyber said parents need to explain the risks of being online, be vigilant and monitor their kids' activity and consider parental spyware.
—Erika Stanish, CBS News, 7 May 2026
In 2024, hackers infected computers at multiple hotels with a type of consumer-grade spyware known as stalkerware.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
An independent investigation later confirmed that his phone had been compromised by Pegasus spyware in 2020.
—ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spyware
Cite this Entry
“Spyware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spyware. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spyware
noun
spy·ware
ˈspī-ˌwer 
: software that is installed in a computer or mobile device without the user's knowledge and that transmits information about the user's activities
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