spy

verb

Save Word

\ ˈspī

spied; spying

Definition of spy

(Entry 1 of 2)

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 … goods— S. E. Morison

intransitive verb

1 : to observe or search for something : look

2 : to watch secretly as a spy

spy

noun

plural spies

Definition of spy (Entry 2 of 2)

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

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More About spy

Keep scrolling for more

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: Verb This could be used to spy on activity from around a corner, learn more from a partial view of a space or watch someone avoiding a camera’s line of sight. — Sophie Bushwick, Scientific American, 6 Oct. 2021 Short, Troye said, once asked her to spy on Deborah Birx, who had the equivalent of Zients’s job at the time and whom Trump came to view with skepticism. — Washington Post, 2 July 2021 In July, Amnesty International accused Rwandan authorities of infiltrating the cellphone of Mr. Rusesabagina’s daughter, using the malware Pegasus from Israeli spyware company NSO, to spy on her efforts to free her father. — Nicholas Bariyo, WSJ, 20 Sep. 2021 The small yet totally not subtle surveillance bot can transmit audio and video to spy on others. — Nick Romano, EW.com, 17 Sep. 2021 On occasion, the Dolphins have used a linebacker or safety to spy Allen, who averages 35.6 rushing yards per game, 5.2 yards per carry, and has scored 25 rushing touchdowns in 45 games. — Omar Kelly, sun-sentinel.com, 17 Sep. 2021 According to a court document filed last week, Theranos spent more than $150,000 on a private investigator to spy on Cheung and Shultz. — Sara Ashley O'brien, CNN, 15 Sep. 2021 For the 20 or so academics prosecuted in the past three years and linked to the China Initiative, most charges related to lack of candor — making false statements or failing to disclose ties to Chinese institutions — rather than intent to spy. — Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2021 Apple has patched a bug in its Messages app that the Israeli spyware vendor NSO Group was exploiting to, well, spy on people. — David Meyer, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Despite Claire’s operational rigor, the Japanese ultimately exposed Phillips’ spy ring in the spring of 1944, and she was arrested. — oregonlive, 11 Oct. 2021 Submarine secrets have been the stuff of spy games for generations. — BostonGlobe.com, 11 Oct. 2021 The spy series is based on Anthony Horowitz’s book franchise of the name and follows Alex (Otto Farrant), a London teenager who has unknowingly been trained since childhood to enter the world of espionage. — Selome Hailu, Variety, 11 Oct. 2021 Officials from a friendly state in theory might have been more disposed to betray a would-be spy’s overture to U.S. authorities. — Sebastien Roblin, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2021 The latest installment in the James Bond franchise — Daniel Craig's fifth and final outing as the iconic spy character — earned $56 million at the U.S. box office during its opening weekend. — Ally Mauch, PEOPLE.com, 10 Oct. 2021 Submarine secrets have been the stuff of spy games for generations. — New York Times, 10 Oct. 2021 That seems as radical a choice for the premier spy mega-franchise as the choice to bomb Bond. — Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2021 His sixth and final Eon Productions Bond film finds the spy investigating shady dealings in the world diamond market. — Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 9 Oct. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.