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

What To Know Schleswig-Holstein's interior minster, Sabine Sütterlin-Waack, confirmed that drones were seen flying above the coastal state just south of Denmark overnight into Friday, September 26, and that the incident is under investigation for potential sabotage or espionage. —Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025

Paramount+ has confirmed a Season 3 renewal for Taylor Sheridan’s espionage thriller Lioness, starring and executive produced by Zoe Saldaña and Nicole Kidman. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2025

The Iranians didn’t, however, get to escape with the bearings that would help kick off their nuclear program because the show’s protagonist, Ben Edwards (played by Taylor Kitsch), and the surviving espionage members of Haverford’s team found out that their leader had double-crossed them. —Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025

Since October 7th, Israeli police have been involved in investigating more than 25 cases related to espionage activity linked to Iran, resulting in approximately 46 arrests, according to a police spokesman. —Dana Karni, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 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