spy

1 of 2

verb

spied; spying

transitive verb

1
: to watch secretly usually for hostile purposes
2
: to catch sight of : see
3
: to search or look for intensively
usually used with out
spy out places fit for vending … goodsS. E. Morison

intransitive verb

1
: to observe or search for something : look
2
: to watch secretly as a spy

spy

2 of 2

noun

plural spies
1
: one that spies:
a
: one who keeps secret watch on a person or thing to obtain information
b
: a person employed by one nation to secretly convey classified information of strategic importance to another nation
also : a person who conveys the trade secrets of one company to another
2
: an act of spying

Examples of spy in a Sentence

Verb They were accused of spying for a foreign government. I spy a motel off in the distance, so let's spend the night there. Noun He was a spy for the CIA. My coworker is a spy for the boss.
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.
Verb
From spy balloons over South Carolina to spy bases in Cuba, China in particular is demonstrating its growing ability to hold the U.S. homeland at risk. Todd Harrison, TIME, 7 Dec. 2024 The report also claimed that the investigative authorities are not ruling out the possibility that China sent Communist Party members to spy in South Korea. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
Noun
Zoom in: Both President Biden and President-elect Trump — and many spies, diplomats and defense officials personally involved in the tumultuous events of the last year — agree that Assad was doomed by the weakening of his allies, Russia and Iran. Barak Ravid, Axios, 9 Dec. 2024 This John and Jane Smith are two lonely strangers who sign up for a mysterious spy agency and get paired together, posing as a married couple. EW.com, 9 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for spy 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English spien, from Anglo-French espier, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German spehōn to spy; akin to Latin specere to look, look at, Greek skeptesthai & skopein to watch, look at, consider

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near spy

Cite this Entry

“Spy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spy. Accessed 13 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

spy

1 of 2 verb
spied; spying
1
: to watch, inspect, or examine secretly : act as a spy
2
: to catch sight of : see
spied a friend in the crowd

spy

2 of 2 noun
plural spies
1
: one that watches the movement or actions of others especially in secret
2
: a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country

More from Merriam-Webster on spy

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