as in operative
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 to spot
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 spy
Luke Barr, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2026
Fox has kicked off its equivalent of pilot season with a straight-to-series order to The Interrogator, a spy drama series written, executive produced by and starring British actor-comedian Stephen Fry.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 2 Feb. 2026
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
In October, a resident of View Park-Windsor Hills, an unincorporated neighborhood in West Los Angeles, spied a man descending into a manhole and called police.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spy
Noun
Congressional Democrats are demanding answers about why the president's spy chief -- who normally deals with foreign intelligence threats -- is involved in the election probe.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2026
Fox has kicked off its equivalent of pilot season with a straight-to-series order to The Interrogator, a spy drama series written, executive produced by and starring British actor-comedian Stephen Fry.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 2 Feb. 2026
Verb
The 2007 spying scandal cost the team a first-round pick and $250,000, while Belichick was fined $500,000.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
In October, a resident of View Park-Windsor Hills, an unincorporated neighborhood in West Los Angeles, spied a man descending into a manhole and called police.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spy
Noun
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Banuelos names Bowen as the political operative who allegedly pressured city staffers.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
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His espionage thriller Lioness, which stars Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldaña as CIA operatives, is in production on its third season.—
Uwa Ede-Osifo,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As the group made their way back to civilization Tuesday morning, one of the skiers spotted an oncoming avalanche, said Greene, citing a survivor’s account.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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On Melrose Place in West Hollywood, Mona Seresht spotted a pink and orange Coco Robotics bot struggling through a flooded street on its delivery route.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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He was also sanctioned by the European Union in January 2019 following a nerve agent attack in Salisbury, England, which the British government said was carried out by GRU agents to poison a former Russian spy.—
Anna Chernova,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
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Right now, enforcement agents are often using administrative warrants, or internal documents signed by immigration officers that authorize specific arrests but not searches.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The center sits along Richmond’s Marina Bay waterfront, an area eyed for residential and commercial growth that’s already flushed with people taking scenic strolls, walking their dogs or riding bikes.—
Sierra Lopez,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
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Given how quickly silver's price trajectory can shift, its price volatility has become an important factor to weigh, not just for silver bullion investors, but also for those eyeing silver mining stocks, which are essentially shares of precious metal mining and production companies.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Sources close to production reveal his character is working undercover.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
10 Feb. 2026
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Le, who was working undercover, was shot while inside his vehicle after responding to one of multiple burglaries at a cannabis business on Embarcadero near Fifth Ave.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The new law will give the California attorney general earlier access to federal HSR merger filings, so the office will have more time to review and challenge anticompetitive mergers and give businesses earlier notice to address any potential concerns, according to Umberg’s office.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
16 Feb. 2026
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The reversal drew little public attention, and few outside the UK noticed any change.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In addition, there’s the risk of secondary toxicity if a mole is eaten by a bird of prey or other predator including foxes and skunks.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
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LightBar believes there is a gap in the market for this kind of work, given that studios are often playing wack-a-mole to keep on top of IP infractions.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Visits to the shrine are seen by Japan's neighbors as evidence of a lack of remorse for Japan's wartime past.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
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Links can be seen between the popularity of K-beauty – a sector estimated by research firm Mintel to be worth more than $90 billion – and the rise of Korean culture internationally.—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spy. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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