spy 1 of 2

noun

Definition of spynext
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

spy

2 of 2

verb

ˈspī How to pronounce spy (audio)
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
Noun
Starlink has spawned several spinoffs for the US military, including a secure communications network called Starshield, a constellation of spy satellites based on the Starlink design. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026 The actual best thing about Star City, though, is watching chapters of a wild soap opera dressed up as a paranoid spy thriller unfold week to week. — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 10 July 2026
Verb
This is not the first time an American has been accused of spying for Iran. — Sophia Mandt, The Washington Examiner, 30 June 2026 Nixon resigned from the presidency in 1974 after the Washington Post revealed that his administration and reelection campaign were involved in a plot to spy and gather information about Democratic candidates ahead of the 1972 election. — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for spy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spy
  1. operative
  2. spot
  3. agent
  4. eye
  5. undercover
  6. notice
  7. mole
  8. see
Noun
  • Unbeknownst to him, the bottle contained the same nerve agent investigators believe Russian operatives had used three months earlier to poison a former spy in nearby Salisbury.
    — Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • Still, at least one campaign operative — who is listed in FEC records — was able to trade on a race they were involved in, despite Kalshi's new monitoring program.
    — Luke Garrett, NPR, 9 July 2026
Definition of operative
Verb
  • They had been spotted in nearby trees but didn’t immediately return to the nest.
    — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Rodríguez Castro made at least 23 private trips aboard a private jet to Panama between 2024 and late 2025, where he was spotted luxury-shopping.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of spot
Noun
  • These gateways address growing concerns about ungoverned AI agents directly interacting with production systems, offering vital governance, security, cost management, and observability.
    — Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • The agent confiscated the letter, carried by Cuban businessman Roberto Carlos Chamizo, and sent him back to Havana.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of agent
Verb
  • From robber baron to symbologist, Morgan Spector is eyeing a career change.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 10 July 2026
  • Lake Hazel plan ‘critical’ to Micron’s growth The city isn’t the only one eyeing a new Lake Hazel Road.
    — Mark Dee July 10, Idaho Statesman, 10 July 2026
Definition of eye
Noun
  • The result is that the majority — roughly 70% of public firms — of Self-Dealers and Value-Extractors still practicing MSV undercover are enjoying below-average as shown by the data in Figure 2 from Professor Felix Oberholzer’s book Better Simpler Strategy.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
  • First, in February 2008, a Dutch TV station aired a confession allegedly made by van der Sloot and captured on a hidden camera by Patrick van der Eem, a businessman working undercover for a Dutch journalist.
    — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 30 May 2026
Definition of undercover
Verb
  • In 2023, after a park visitor noticed a broken Fury 325 support beam, the coaster closed for six weeks that summer.
    — Catherine Muccigrosso July 17, Charlotte Observer, 17 July 2026
  • The radiologist notices a small spot on the lung unrelated to the original reason for the exam and appropriately recommends follow-up.
    — Demetri Giannikopoulos, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of notice
Noun
  • The actions to date are little more than whack-a-mole exercises as the operators simply replace their botnets with new ones.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026
  • The black mole is also a highlight, made from dozens of ingredients — plus time, patience and skill.
    — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 8 July 2026
Definition of mole
Verb
  • Mercedes-Benz Stadium might never again see two comebacks like the ones engineered by Messi in Atlanta.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • She’s seen during a dance rehearsal, a silly social media clip, and onstage from their Lollapalooza set, the latter of which came before her announcement in February to step away from Katseye.
    — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026
Definition of see

Browse Nearby Words

sputum
spy
spying
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spy. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on spy

Nglish: Translation of spy for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All