Synonyms of spied

spied

verb

past tense of spy

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spotted
• noticed
• saw
• eyed
• regarded
• remarked
• viewed
• espied
• beheld
• watched
• noted
• observed
• looked (at)
• sighted
• caught
• witnessed
• discerned
• perceived
• distinguished
• descried
• identified
• laid eyes on
• set eyes on
• got a load of
• considered
• scanned
• marked
• picked out
• studied
• surveyed
• attended (to)
• inspected
• examined
• glimpsed
• made out
• scrutinized
• heeded
• glanced (at)
• picked up
• peered (at)
• minded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignored
• neglected
• disregarded
• passed over
• missed
• overlooked
• overpassed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of spied

Satellite imagery has already spied an area of rising seas expanding north from South and Central America to California’s Baja Peninsula, with a northward expansion expected from there. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Next, astronomers spied several exoplanets that are gas giants like Jupiter—but in orbits so tight that these worlds practically skim the surfaces of their stars. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 21 Aug. 2026

In the distance, the two ― both staffers of nondenominational Christian organization Cru ― spied a female avatar standing alone in the virtual hallway and decided to strike up a chat. — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 26 July 2026

Houssem Aouar finally spied a gap in the Austrian defence and sent Mahrez through to score, sparking jubilation before Sasa Kalajdzic’s header confirmed a ridiculous ending to a game that was dramatic, bleak and then dramatic again. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 11 July 2026

Julius, along with Ruth and David Greenglass, had spied for the Soviet Union. — Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026

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