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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But as the 21-year-old cornerback approaches the NFL Draft projected as a second-round pick, those closest to him remember when his size was the first thing people noticed, and often the only thing.—
Tyler Carmona,
Miami Herald,
19 Apr. 2026
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Take our recent example game’s score of eight to six with a goal of 10 points; Fermat would notice that the game must end within five coin flips.—
Jack Murtagh,
Scientific American,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the trailer, the Wicked Oscar nominee can be seen in the hot seat, continuing the Focker family tradition of being interviewed while strapped to a lie detector test.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
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The plan is for Maton to throw off a mound during the upcoming homestand and see where that leads.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Timmy was first spotted swimming in the region on March 3.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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The enforcement effort also included educating business owners on how to spot a skimmer.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Its leaders have eyed the narrow waterways like the Strait of Malacca through which this fuel flows as potential chokepoints if a future adversary wanted to strangle Beijing’s supply.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
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And that's especially true for travelers eyeing the dreamy beaches of Sint Maarten.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Espy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espy. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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