as in operatives
a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country
the government spy risked his life every day in the fight against global terrorism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in notices
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of spies
Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
According to the ministry, foreign spies are infiltrating everything from mapping apps to weather stations.
—Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
The logline concerns two rival spies who cross paths in a Lamaze class as their wives become fast friends.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 1 May 2026
Having played British spies, lords, WWII fighters pilots and even wrestlers, Jack Lowden has now taken on his most contemporary role to date.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
Remember the spies, Boris and Natasha?
—Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 29 Apr. 2026
Xi’s brand of resentful nationalism, meanwhile, comes with a strong anti-American streak, and security apparatchiks see CIA spies everywhere.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Santat’s illustrations begin with straightforward, muted sincerity and become brighter, busier, and more gleeful—filling every corner of the page—as Sharpson’s narrator becomes ever more unhinged, ranting about fish spies, fish disguises, and fish taking over the world.
—Elise Broach, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
The furry white marsupials, which waddle back into remote areas — places where humans would not otherwise set foot — are almost like spies penetrating the secret lives of pythons.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Amy Wilkinson, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Feb. 2026
Alma peers through a keyhole and spies her mother (Susanne Wuest) standing before a candlelit shrine to the family’s dead.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2025
And when Clara spies her classmate Miller Adams (Mason Thames) along the roadside, and decides to give him a ride, the film introduces a next-generation complication-that-isn’t-really-one.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
When Leo first spies the orphaned Josie singing on a Boston street corner, he’s struck by her resemblance to the Pendleton family, his father’s former employers and the victims of great tragedy when their baby was kidnapped in 1880.
—EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
Despite the summer heat, the windows were often closed to keep out horseflies and the long ears of loyalist spies, so the air inside was stifling and pungent.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
According to the ministry, foreign spies are infiltrating everything from mapping apps to weather stations.
—Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
The logline concerns two rival spies who cross paths in a Lamaze class as their wives become fast friends.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 1 May 2026
Having played British spies, lords, WWII fighters pilots and even wrestlers, Jack Lowden has now taken on his most contemporary role to date.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
Remember the spies, Boris and Natasha?
—Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 29 Apr. 2026
Xi’s brand of resentful nationalism, meanwhile, comes with a strong anti-American streak, and security apparatchiks see CIA spies everywhere.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Santat’s illustrations begin with straightforward, muted sincerity and become brighter, busier, and more gleeful—filling every corner of the page—as Sharpson’s narrator becomes ever more unhinged, ranting about fish spies, fish disguises, and fish taking over the world.
—Elise Broach, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
The furry white marsupials, which waddle back into remote areas — places where humans would not otherwise set foot — are almost like spies penetrating the secret lives of pythons.
—Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
Verb
When Claire and Frank retreat to Inverness on holiday following the end of WWII, Frank spies the spectre of a Highlander staring up into Claire's window that abruptly vanishes.
—Amy Wilkinson, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Feb. 2026
Alma peers through a keyhole and spies her mother (Susanne Wuest) standing before a candlelit shrine to the family’s dead.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2025
And when Clara spies her classmate Miller Adams (Mason Thames) along the roadside, and decides to give him a ride, the film introduces a next-generation complication-that-isn’t-really-one.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
When Leo first spies the orphaned Josie singing on a Boston street corner, he’s struck by her resemblance to the Pendleton family, his father’s former employers and the victims of great tragedy when their baby was kidnapped in 1880.
—EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spies
Noun
-
Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal and Eiza González star in the film about a team of elite operatives on an impossible mission.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 May 2026
-
Republican Kandiss Taylor has filed to run for the seat, but her past political runs have led operatives to rule her out as a serious candidate.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Just to make things even messier and more over-plotted, Sylvie notices a light on for five days straight in an upper-floor apartment, reporting to the cops her concern that the old man who lives there might have died.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
-
If the bear is sitting at a distance, feeding or walking by and notices you but continues its natural behavior, do not take any action.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
The company specializes in using advanced artificial intelligence, including specialized agents and Large Language Models, to automate contract authoring, negotiation, and risk management.—
AllBusiness,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
What the agents can’t do in many fields is make judgment calls using the insight that comes from on-the-job experience, according to labor experts.—
Victor Swezey,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
The Kansas City Chiefs' 2026-2027 schedule dropped on May 14 and Swifties are already scanning the calendar — including ticket sites — for home games as the superstar eyes a potential return to Arrowhead Stadium for a fourth season.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
As Kamala Harris eyes a possible 2028 presidential bid, there is little outward enthusiasm among her biggest 2024 backers to fund a repeat performance, adding to uncertainty about the former vice president’s prospects in what is sure to be a crowded primary field.—
Justine McDaniel,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
The brands that win are the ones where the audience spots the tension first.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
The uncanny vision is made even eerier when Hoop spots her late mother dragging her five children through the human tide.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Major medical groups generally support gender-affirming care for children with ongoing gender dysphoria – distress caused by the difference between a person’s internal sense of gender and the way the world sees them.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
18 May 2026
-
Cegielski also sees those retailers that offer the best value and discounts as being most aggressive in rolling out new stores.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spies. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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