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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The theft wasn't noticed until a store employee saw that the entire caviar section was empty, which led management to check their security cameras.—
Michele Gile,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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One game, Jordan Ross, his roommate, noticed that Jake was too late to rotate over on a double-team from the baseline side on a drive.—
Mirin Fader,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But, the aide said, the President would see me first.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
15 Jan. 2026
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In live video, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov can be seen in their suits woring on tasks, but not yet in their seats.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The $10 billion space telescope has also been spotting extremely bright, ultra-compact and incredibly dense galaxies that lack an abundance of dust.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
15 Jan. 2026
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Federal agents have been spotted all across Minnesota, giving the ones who resided here first an on-edge feeling.—
Frankie McLister,
CBS News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But others are eyeing this prize too.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
20 Jan. 2026
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Driving down the cost of living tops the 2026 priority list, according to two White House officials, and the administration is eyeing everything from lowering drug prices to tackling housing and other health care costs.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Espy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espy. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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