espionage

noun

es·​pi·​o·​nage ˈe-spē-ə-ˌnäzh  -ˌnäj 

-nij

Canadian also -ˌnazh;

ˌe-spē-ə-ˈnäzh;

i-ˈspē-ə-nij

: the practice of spying or using spies to obtain information about the plans and activities especially of a foreign government or a competing company

industrial espionage

Synonyms of espionage

• spying

Examples of espionage in a Sentence

He was charged with several counts of espionage.

the acts of espionage on behalf of the Confederacy carried on by Belle Boyd and Rose Greenhow

Recent Examples on the Web

The Agency – Season 2 (Paramount+) Michael Fassbender, Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith and Richard Gere star in this espionage thriller about a spy ordered to abandon his undercover identity and return to real life. —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026

The Naples attorney has also played a central role in a bitter public dispute regarding allegations of corporate espionage that has rocked Silicon Valley and the tech world. —Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 18 June 2026

Both Sato and Thompson suspect that the espionage law has had a chilling effect on their work. —Laura Secor, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026

Peacock is also switching tactics from past channels’ campaigns for espionage series. —Whitney Friedlander, Variety, 14 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

French espionnage, from Middle French, from espionner to spy, from espion spy, from Old Italian spione, from spia, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German spehōn to spy — more at spy

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

espionage

noun

es·​pi·​o·​nage ˈes-pē-ə-ˌnäzh  -näj 

-ˌnij

: the practice of spying : the use of spies

Legal Definition

espionage

noun

es·​pi·​o·​nage ˈes-pē-ə-ˌnäzh, -ˌnäj, -nij 

: the practice of gathering, transmitting, or losing through gross negligence information relating to the defense of the U.S. with the intent that or with reason to believe that the information will be used to the injury of the U.S. or the advantage of a foreign nation