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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Empathy means noticing and adjusting expectations without penalizing people for being human. 4.—
Jody Michael,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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The firemen noticed Pilon, but every time one of them tried to get beyond the protection of the trucks, Barbaro fired at them.—
Sally Ventura
June 23,
Literary Hub,
23 June 2025
Verb
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And club captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen is first on the list of those the club would like to see leave before the end of the transfer window.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
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Customers deserve to see where their money is going and why, without the complex legal language.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Armed with this information, these companies can spot patterns, identify seasonal trends, make accurate forecasts and scale their business with confidence.—
Aliaksandr Kuushynau,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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This week, the star was spotted in Los Angeles taking her dog—and bob—for a walk in a red Jacquemus dress and black heels.—
Essence,
Essence,
20 June 2025
Verb
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Others eyeing the results are not so sure, report The Hill’s Mike Lillis and Mychael Schnell.—
Kristina Karisch,
The Hill,
24 June 2025
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There’s just as much ambiguity among those eyeing a chase of the GOP nomination.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Espy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espy. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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