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
Glimmers of this optimism could be spied in the FOMC’s statement, issued ahead of Warsh’s press conference.
—
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 17 June 2026
There, golden bamboo is freshly planted, new curvilinear furniture is featured, high tea is served and Mount Fuji can be spied in the jaw-dropping panoramas on clear days.
—Carrie Bell, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Except from one small group, who spied the women coming out of the pool and seemed to fix on them with special focus.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
More accolades followed, as Wyatt's steamy Bold entrance on a 2013 episode (being spied naked in an outdoor shower by Kim Matula's Hope Logan) announced a major new player in the soap's setting in the cutthroat Los Angeles fashion industry.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026
Toulouse spied potential, not the finished article.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 13 May 2026
For years, the rover ascended a feature called Mount Sharp within the crater, aiming to reach clay-rich layers that orbiters circling the planet had spied.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 24 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
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 17 June 2026
There, golden bamboo is freshly planted, new curvilinear furniture is featured, high tea is served and Mount Fuji can be spied in the jaw-dropping panoramas on clear days.
—Carrie Bell, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Except from one small group, who spied the women coming out of the pool and seemed to fix on them with special focus.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
More accolades followed, as Wyatt's steamy Bold entrance on a 2013 episode (being spied naked in an outdoor shower by Kim Matula's Hope Logan) announced a major new player in the soap's setting in the cutthroat Los Angeles fashion industry.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026
Toulouse spied potential, not the finished article.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 13 May 2026
For years, the rover ascended a feature called Mount Sharp within the crater, aiming to reach clay-rich layers that orbiters circling the planet had spied.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 24 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spied
Verb
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Scientists also spotted Luban swimming in the Gulf of Masirah recently.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
19 June 2026
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Then, on Thursday, a tear was spotted in part of the material that was applied to the floor of the pool.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Verb
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The man then noticed a bullet hole in her car door.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
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But in recent years, NASA has noticed that the critical satellite has begun unexpectedly getting lower and lower – putting it in danger of burning up in Earth's atmosphere.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
18 June 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
-
Nick Folk took his stance, eyed his kick and attacked.—
Daniel Flick,
AJC.com,
17 June 2026
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Bradley Cooper is being eyed for the lead role, though the real life inspiration for the film has yet to be identified.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Banks maintained long-standing relationships with corporate clients; white-shoe law firms didn’t compete for business; hostile takeovers and the like were regarded as somewhat unsavory.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
Pete Distad, a former Apple exec who joined Fox last year and spearheaded the launch of the Fox One subscription streamer, is seasoned and well-regarded.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spied. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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