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
And Mindi said at one point she was being spied upon.
—
Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 8 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
Idling along the road one day for a lunch break, Campos spied someone building houses.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 17 Jan. 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
The origin story has it that in 1953 Ernie Blake, a Swiss-German transplant, flew in a little four-seater over northern New Mexico, spied the epic possibility in a steep, north-facing slope, then set to work, clearing and constructing his idea of a perfect ski mountain.
—Michael Paterniti, Travel + Leisure, 14 Nov. 2025
Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 8 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
Idling along the road one day for a lunch break, Campos spied someone building houses.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 17 Jan. 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
The origin story has it that in 1953 Ernie Blake, a Swiss-German transplant, flew in a little four-seater over northern New Mexico, spied the epic possibility in a steep, north-facing slope, then set to work, clearing and constructing his idea of a perfect ski mountain.
—Michael Paterniti, Travel + Leisure, 14 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spied
Verb
-
My friend Thai, whose parents were part of the Weather Underground leadership, remembers his father, Jeff Jones, coming home one day to find their family’s Hoboken apartment surrounded by cops—a fire inspector had spotted his tiny crop of marijuana plants on the fire escape.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
-
After a young white shark was spotted off the Newport Beach coast, a renowned marine biologist warned Southern California residents that many more sightings could happen by the end of summer.—
Lauren Pozen,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That observation mirrors exactly what Miles Bridges has noticed.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
-
An investigation into the shooting found that a driver picked up a female passenger in Kansas City, and shortly after, the driver noticed they were being followed by the Jeep.—
Robert A. Cronkleton
March 26,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 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
-
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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When the drink arrived at my table during a recent dinner at Roswell’s Tipsy Thaiger, my friends immediately eyed it.—
Caroline Eubanks,
AJC.com,
20 Mar. 2026
-
But the starters and reserves at pass rusher are being eyed suspiciously at this early point of the offseason.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
At many Jewish institutions, rejecting Zionism is indeed regarded as a form of sacrilege.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Graham’s consulting role is perhaps more surprising as he is not known first and foremost for his comedy chops, although he is widely regarded as one of the most prolific creatives in British TV.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spied. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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