SPIES Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

spies 1 of 2

noun

plural of spy

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

spies

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of spy

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 show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of spies

Noun

The Five Eyes intelligence alliance warned that China was using LinkedIn and other social media platforms to recruit spies. —

Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 4 June 2026 In the bulletin, the Five Eyes agencies said Chinese spies were particularly targeting those who specialized in defense, foreign affairs and intelligence, and military personnel, including those stationed in the Indo-Pacific region. —

CNN Money, 3 June 2026 And while it's designed to track enemy spies and terrorists, some lawmakers – including Republicans – say the communications of Americans can get swept up by the powerful surveillance tool, too. —

Joey Garrison, USA Today, 2 June 2026 Video games are home to many iconic spies, from Sam Fisher to Solid Snake, who have starred in many classic releases. —

Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026 The indictment also alleges that Cuba's intelligence agency tasked a network of spies in Florida with informing on Brothers to the Rescue. —

Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 20 May 2026 The indictment says Cuban spies operating in South Florida penetrated exile organizations and gathered intelligence on Brothers to the Rescue flight plans and activities. —

Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026 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 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

Verb

In the 8-episode sci-fi adventure series premiering May 21, residents of a retirement community in New Mexico join forces after its newest occupant, widow Sam Cooper (Alfred Molina), spies a monstrous creature. —

Erin Jensen, USA Today, 20 May 2026 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

To complete the task, Rachel needs to bring in a pair of expert extractors, Sid (Cavill) and Bronco (Gyllenhaal), and their team of covert operatives because Manny lives on an island guarded by a private army whose members are locked and loaded with high-tech weaponry.

— Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
There should be no place in our politics for incompetent, opportunistic operatives who violate privacy, betray trust, and prioritize vengeance over decency.

— Jared Kofsky, ABC News, 1 June 2026