espies

verb

present tense third-person singular of espy
as in notices
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes out of the corner of my eye I espied the squirrel making another raid on the bird feeder

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for espies
  1. notices
  2. sees
  3. eyes
  4. spots
Verb
  • Someone notices the haze, the group texts start and facilities teams scramble to decide whether to close windows, change filters, cancel activities or send people home.
    — Sissi Liu, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Now three seasons in, De Oliveira notices just how much of Cruz she’s taken in.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of notices
Verb
  • The way Rosado sees it, the role changes are key for Duarte and others.
    — Will Sammon, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Beijing sees green tech as a source of energy security, future prosperity and influence abroad.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of sees
Verb
  • The film will enter production this November in Vermont as production company GrizzlieBradFilms LLC eyes a 2028 debut.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • In another, a marmot eyes the game camera, getting closer and closer to the lens.
    — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of eyes
Verb
  • And since Jace’s death, she’s treated Baela as nothing more than a defective surveillance drone — a worthless piece of tech that never spots Vhagar.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Officials asked anyone who spots the cat to send a direct message with the exact time and location of the sighting rather than trying to intervene.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of spots
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.

Browse Nearby Words

espièglerie
espies
espionage
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Espies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espies. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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