as in spotted
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
I spy a motel off in the distance, so let's spend the night there
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Recent Examples of spied
The crew experienced a solar eclipse, including 54 minutes of totality where the sun’s light was blocked by Earth, spied planets, photographed the Milky Way and even witnessed flashes of light as space rocks slammed into the moon.
—
Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
And Mindi said at one point she was being spied upon.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Residents near Hereford House who spied the visitors that morning may have wondered what their arrival portended for the town.
—Longreads, 5 Mar. 2026
But there’s no snow on the 101 Freeway near Thousand Oaks — which might come as a surprise to those who spied an errant travel alert from the California Department of Transportation.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
The moon's immense shadow was also spied by South Korea's GEO-KOMPSAT-2A weather satellite from its perch 22,370 miles (36,000 km) above Earth in geostationary orbit, close to the shadowy line of the night-day terminator.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 18 Feb. 2026
The organization added that Stone spied Mo on the red carpet, posed for a few photos with the pup, and then decided the dog would be the perfect pet for her youngest son, Quinn.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Where skeptics spied a bubble, the revolution’s leaders saw the dawn of a new era of abundance.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
The real story of Barbie’s origins is much messier, and more interesting—especially as told in Barbieland, Tarpley Hitt’s rollicking tale of how Mattel spied, copied and stole its way to market dominance, then fought with military intensity to compel us to buy more and more.
—Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026
And Mindi said at one point she was being spied upon.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Residents near Hereford House who spied the visitors that morning may have wondered what their arrival portended for the town.
—Longreads, 5 Mar. 2026
But there’s no snow on the 101 Freeway near Thousand Oaks — which might come as a surprise to those who spied an errant travel alert from the California Department of Transportation.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
The moon's immense shadow was also spied by South Korea's GEO-KOMPSAT-2A weather satellite from its perch 22,370 miles (36,000 km) above Earth in geostationary orbit, close to the shadowy line of the night-day terminator.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 18 Feb. 2026
The organization added that Stone spied Mo on the red carpet, posed for a few photos with the pup, and then decided the dog would be the perfect pet for her youngest son, Quinn.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Where skeptics spied a bubble, the revolution’s leaders saw the dawn of a new era of abundance.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
The real story of Barbie’s origins is much messier, and more interesting—especially as told in Barbieland, Tarpley Hitt’s rollicking tale of how Mattel spied, copied and stole its way to market dominance, then fought with military intensity to compel us to buy more and more.
—Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spied
Verb
-
Jennifer Lawrence was spotted in New York City this week, looking effortlessly cool in a baggy denim shirt and wide-leg jeans, paired with brightly colored flats.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Earlier Friday, the NWS confirmed a tornado north of Blair as tornado debris was first spotted in Buffalo County and moved toward Trempealeau County, which is in western Wisconsin between Eau Claire and La Crosse.—
Chris Ramirez,
jsonline.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The study got its start when co-author Brian Gootee, a geologist with the Arizona Geological Survey, noticed a resemblance between sand deposits downstream of the Grand Canyon and in the Bidahochi—both contained pink, rounded grains that seemed to have been transported by the same river.—
Cody Cottier,
Scientific American,
16 Apr. 2026
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Karsh previously told the Pioneer Press that tenant complaints against Quadrel began last month, when renters from one of their residential properties, located at 929-935 Michigan Avenue, noticed drastic increases in rent after receiving their lease renewal notices.—
Claire Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Moving a blade back and forth to try to saw biscuits apart will make their layers stick (and ruin the rise).—
Ella Quittner,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
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Ruggeri says that, in comparison to saw palmetto, which gets far more attention.—
Adam Hurly,
Robb Report,
19 Feb. 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
-
Copper edged lower as traders eyed the prospect of peace negotiations between the US and Iran.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Since his untimely death, Prince has been regarded as one of the most iconic musicians of his generation.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Some mountaineers may have regarded the retreat as a failure of nerve.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spied. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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