as in to notice
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
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Recent Examples of espy
The film’s comedy is built from a series of infinitesimal touches and chance intrusions, as when Édouard, espying Charles in the street, leaps from his seat at a sidewalk café and jostles a waiter bearing drinks.
—
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 July 2024
Imprisoned by the Duke of Athens, the cousins espy the beautiful Emilia from their cell—and each man falls immediately in love.
—Andrea Mays, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2024
If a basket-hanger was espied by the recipient, the recipient would give chase and try to steal a kiss from the basket-hanger.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2024
Images taken from different realities, different spaces, times, places that have been sort of cut out and pasted together to create a new scene that depicts something that no human eye would ever have espied.
—Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2023
Resentful 1970s émigrés were prodding the West to espy its true enemy not in communism, but in an irredeemable Russia.
—Ignat Solzhenitsyn, WSJ, 23 Oct. 2020
The cub tried to sneak up on him, but was quickly espied by the older lion.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 20 June 2019
For instance, visitors can scan through an electronic infographic for terrariums filled with camouflaging Gulf Coast toads, then head outside onto more than 2 miles of dirt and boardwalk trails to espy the bayou's flora and fauna.
—Beau Evans, NOLA.com, 6 Oct. 2017
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 July 2024
Imprisoned by the Duke of Athens, the cousins espy the beautiful Emilia from their cell—and each man falls immediately in love.
—Andrea Mays, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2024
If a basket-hanger was espied by the recipient, the recipient would give chase and try to steal a kiss from the basket-hanger.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2024
Images taken from different realities, different spaces, times, places that have been sort of cut out and pasted together to create a new scene that depicts something that no human eye would ever have espied.
—Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2023
Resentful 1970s émigrés were prodding the West to espy its true enemy not in communism, but in an irredeemable Russia.
—Ignat Solzhenitsyn, WSJ, 23 Oct. 2020
The cub tried to sneak up on him, but was quickly espied by the older lion.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 20 June 2019
For instance, visitors can scan through an electronic infographic for terrariums filled with camouflaging Gulf Coast toads, then head outside onto more than 2 miles of dirt and boardwalk trails to espy the bayou's flora and fauna.
—Beau Evans, NOLA.com, 6 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for espy
Verb
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Police noticed that Landum’s truck did not have a front license plate and made contact with the rapper about that problem.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Aug. 2025
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Looking over the data for evidence of supernovas, Schulze noticed an object that rapidly increased in brightness 2.2 billion light-years from Earth.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Remove personal information from your account that others can see, such as your telephone number or address. Don’t accept friend requests from strangers.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
26 Aug. 2025
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Joseph Russell, a corn and soybean farmer from Muncie, has seen these effects firsthand.—
Lluvia Gaucin,
IndyStar,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Rabbits with growths that resemble horns or tentacles have been spotted around Colorado, drawing comparisons to zombies and Frankenstein's monster.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
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Roughly 12 baby snakes were spotted around the end of July and early August with the Massasauga mom in the drain tile in the Great Lakes Gardens of the property, said Steven Parrish, natural areas specialist for the gardens, Nichols Arboretum and two other properties.—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The probe is eyeing multiple instances of the use of classified documents in leaks to the news media.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
22 Aug. 2025
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Other teams eyed him in the undrafted portion of free agency, and some are monitoring the Vikings’ decision now.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Espy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espy. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
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