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

Worries over espionage and tech smuggling to China have grown as authorities continue to prosecute cases. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026

The agents infiltrate dangerous circles, gather intelligence and help carry out missions traditional espionage methods can’t reach. — Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026

Citing concerns about espionage and intellectual property theft, the US has refused to work with China and last year even banned visa-holding Chinese nationals from working at NASA. — Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

She will next be seen alongside Nicolas Cage, Matthew Goode, Ed Skrein, Michael Sheen and Ben Kingsley in Simon West’s World War II espionage feature Fortitude. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 5 Aug. 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