counterespionage
noun
coun·ter·es·pi·o·nage
ˌkau̇n-tər-ˈe-spē-ə-ˌnäzh 
-ˌnäj,
-nij,
Canadian also -ˌnazh;
-ˌe-spē-ə-ˈnäzh;
-ə-ˈspē-ə-nij
: the activity concerned with detecting and thwarting enemy espionage
Examples of counterespionage in a Sentence
He was involved in counterespionage against Germany in World War II.
Recent Examples on the Web
Currently, Roddy and Whelan are both mere novices in the dark arts of counterespionage.
—
Scott Tobias, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2025
Other than the counterespionage law amendment, Beijing has in recent years expanded the remit of its national security apparatus through sweeping legislation, giving authorities broader powers to scrutinize foreign nationals and organizations.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 23 July 2025
But the ruling raises serious questions about the agency, which focuses on counterespionage, terrorism and sabotage.
—Willem Marx, NPR, 3 July 2025
Xi's harsh covid-19 lockdowns brought significant swaths of the Chinese economy to a standstill in 2022, and his officials have raided foreign companies in apparent counterespionage investigations.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 8 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for counterespionage
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Scott Tobias, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2025
Other than the counterespionage law amendment, Beijing has in recent years expanded the remit of its national security apparatus through sweeping legislation, giving authorities broader powers to scrutinize foreign nationals and organizations.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 23 July 2025
But the ruling raises serious questions about the agency, which focuses on counterespionage, terrorism and sabotage.
—Willem Marx, NPR, 3 July 2025
Xi's harsh covid-19 lockdowns brought significant swaths of the Chinese economy to a standstill in 2022, and his officials have raided foreign companies in apparent counterespionage investigations.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 8 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for counterespionage
Cite this Entry
“Counterespionage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterespionage. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share