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

• 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 espionage was part of a Chinese government policy to steal trade secrets from aviation companies, prosecutors said, and develop technology at American expense. —Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

At least six people had been executed up until last week on charges linked to espionage, such as smuggling equipment and aiding operations targeting major Iranian infrastructure, and 700 arrested, according to state media reports. —Amira El-Fekki‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025

Looming over Iran’s decision is the threat of Israeli espionage and air power, potentially catching Tehran in the act of rushing to produce a bomb. —Dan De Luce, NBC news, 28 June 2025

Lake repeatedly described the agency as a national security risk, pointing to the case of Pavel Rubtsov, also known as Pablo González, a freelance cameraman who briefly worked for VOA and was later arrested in Poland on espionage charges. —Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 25 June 2025

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