double agent

noun

Synonyms of double agentnext
: 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.
Some refuse to cooperate, some may even act as double agents. Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026 An Associated Press investigation into Rocha found several red flags overlooked along the way, including a warning that one longtime CIA operative received nearly two decades ago that Rocha was working as a double agent. Joshua Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026 The canary trap is a simple tool often used to identify leakers or double agents. Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 4 May 2026 Alexander says that’s because Garth himself, having grown up in Gilead and now serving as a double agent for the rebels in Canada, doesn’t have the words for it. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Double agent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double%20agent. Accessed 14 May. 2026.

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