double agent

noun

: a spy pretending to serve one government while actually serving another

Examples of double agent in a Sentence

He was secretly working as a double agent for the Americans during the war.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Sympathizer Another Pulitzer winner, this espionage thriller and political satire explores identity, loyalty, and the legacy of war through the confessions of a double agent. Mark Nevins, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025 Adapted from the eponymous Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen, the series from A24 and Rhombus Media follows a North Vietnamese double agent (played by Hoa Xuande) who continues passing along information after moving to Southern California before the fall of Saigon. Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2025 After the trade, Barry and Aldon realize Tina is a double agent. Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 17 June 2025 Brielle plays Tina, an NSA analyst revealed in season 1 to be a double agent. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for double agent

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of double agent was in 1935

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Double agent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double%20agent. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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