as in noticing
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for espying
Verb
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What researchers actually discovered is a small asteroid following Earth’s orbit, one that’s been traveling alongside us for decades without anyone noticing.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Oct. 2025 -
But the smart ones were noticing.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Between the timing and Elsbeth spotting a shiny, brand-new replacement for Johnny’s beat-up old harness and carabiner, the jig is up, giving Elsbeth a moment to shine on the set of Raquel’s Behind the Black Veil interview, prosecuting her case in the persona of a reality-show host.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
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The robot is also capable of spotting the charging spot perfectly in electric vehicles.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Admittedly, this may delight a curious gardener who enjoys seeing what novelties a volunteer plant can produce.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
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Added to the trauma of grief and sudden eviction under threat of reprisal, Adelaida has to endure seeing the sacred mementos of her mother’s life trashed by the thuggish new squatters.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But the broadcast has lagged in the ratings, while new editor in chief Bari Weiss is said to be eyeing an overhaul of the network’s signature newscast.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
27 Oct. 2025
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Amazon is reportedly eyeing mass job cuts across its corporate employee base.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In the comment section, many people expressed different opinions regarding the seating plan.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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Newsweek contacted Bower regarding the messages and the evidence supporting their authenticity, but according to Bower’s Lawfare account, Halligan did not dispute any factual inaccuracies in the report.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Espying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espying. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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