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
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 spy
Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Hailing from studio 20th Television Animation, the show centers on three nerdy misfit high school freshmen who are recruited for an elite secret spy school.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 2 Mar. 2026
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
The moon's immense shadow was also spied by South Korea's GEO-KOMPSAT-2A weather satellite from its perch 22,370 miles (36,000 km) above Earth in geostationary orbit, close to the shadowy line of the night-day terminator.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spy
Noun
The actress played an international spy for the CIA on the show and has often spoken about having to learn dialogue in different languages and performing her own stunts on the show, which involved wire work, jumping off buildings and intense hand-to-hand combat.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Hailing from studio 20th Television Animation, the show centers on three nerdy misfit high school freshmen who are recruited for an elite secret spy school.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 2 Mar. 2026
Verb
The crew might also spy distinct flashes of light as space rocks strike the moon — or dust floating above the edge of the moon, a mysterious phenomenon scientists have yet to understand fully.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
The moon's immense shadow was also spied by South Korea's GEO-KOMPSAT-2A weather satellite from its perch 22,370 miles (36,000 km) above Earth in geostationary orbit, close to the shadowy line of the night-day terminator.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spy
Noun
-
The operative acknowledged the political risk but said Trump benefits from credibility with his base because of his record.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The attacks included suicide missions — a method that Hamas operatives had learned from Hezbollah trainers in Lebanon.—
Ron Kampeas,
Sun Sentinel,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Instead, the shop carries free whistles for customers to pick up and use in the event that ICE agents are spotted in the neighborhood.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Earlier in the day, Sri Lankan Navy spokesman Budhika Sampath said rescue teams initially spotted oil patches and life rafts on the surface but could not immediately locate the vessel.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The partnership formed only after Wimbledon, arranged through Tien’s agent, despite the two having lived in the same Southern California tennis orbit for years without ever meeting.—
Douglas Robson,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Bruising drops in software company stocks this year have left investors struggling to discern which firms will be least and most affected by competition from AI agents.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Cooper has also already begun narrowing her career prospects, eyeing a future as a surgeon, artist, or fashion designer.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Examples of successful metro Denver redevelopments Thornton is eyeing as inspiration include Belmar in Lakewood, Olde Town Arvada, Stanley Marketplace in Aurora and McGregor Square near Coors Field.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Sources close to production reveal his character is working undercover.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
10 Feb. 2026
-
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
-
The Trooper noticed signs of possible criminal activity during the stop and a K-9 unit from the Live Oak County Sheriff’s Office was called for further investigation, according to the release.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The team’s heart and soul noticed.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Tree roots, drainage issues, erosion, heavy foot and vehicular traffic, and burrowing animals like voles and moles all contribute to uneven yards.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Through a series of revelations and flashbacks, Isabel discovers that her mother, Sofia (Daniela Peña), was a casualty of her biological father’s past life as a CIA mole in the ’90s.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Fingerprints of climate change Although natural variability played a role, Swain sees the fingerprints of climate change in several aspects of winter weather, including cold snaps.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Activists are also instructing people to keep them out of sight so ICE agents don’t see them and later target them.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spy. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
