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
Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
Season three finds former British spy Sylvia Fox, played by Silent Witness star Emilia Fox, mentally and physically recovered from her abduction at the end Season 2 and back to enjoying her life in Italy.
—Peter White, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
The abrupt rise in deportations and claims of Afghans spying attracted international condemnation.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spy
Noun
James Bond is a pop culture juggernaut, the world-famous spy who leapt from the pages of Ian Fleming's novels to dominate Hollywood for more than 60 years.
—Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
Season three finds former British spy Sylvia Fox, played by Silent Witness star Emilia Fox, mentally and physically recovered from her abduction at the end Season 2 and back to enjoying her life in Italy.
—Peter White, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
Within minutes my father spied Ernie Banks signing autographs at the wall.
—Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
The abrupt rise in deportations and claims of Afghans spying attracted international condemnation.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spy
Noun
-
The report also detailed how its AI capabilities were being misused by North Korean operatives who used it to obtain remote jobs at tech companies.—
Steve Weisman,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
In September 2024, Israel blew up the group’s pagers, causing gruesome injuries as the devices detonated in Hezbollah operatives’ pockets.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The centerpiece of its design is a cardinal, and living in the South, many of us have watched the trees for these beloved birds as an early sign of spring each year (especially for those in Virginia spotting their state bird).—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
7 Sep. 2025
-
According to a passenger who spotted her aboard the plane, the congressional representative had ignored a friendly greeting from the economy-cabin flier.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
These cutting agents, including potent synthetic opioids and animal tranquilizers, increase the risk of fatal overdoses.—
David Ferrara,
The Enquirer,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The agent also proposes that player power — and agent power — is another leading factor.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Advertisers are also increasingly eyeing digital Super Bowl opportunities.—
Kelsey Sutton,
Fortune,
3 Sep. 2025
-
But while Nexstar and Sinclair have made no secret of their desire to roll up enough stations to achieve national scale in a bid to take on Big Tech, if the FCC does raise or remove the cap, other filings suggest that the national networks may be eyeing deals of their own.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Season 2 of the hit Paramount+ series will continue following Martian (Michael Fassbender), a CIA agent living undercover in his own life.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Masks were once largely forbidden on the federal level unless an agent was working undercover, said Michael Bouchard, a former assistant director at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives who retired in 2007.—
Byron Tau,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
That 2024 law induced the companies to decrease the odds of winning, which negatively affected bettors in the aggregate, albeit not in so direct a way that the casual gambler would notice.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Those who noticed the earthquake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The mezcal is rich and robust on the palate, showcasing flavors of dark chocolate, roasted spices, and a gentle, sweet chili heat reminiscent of mole.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Allen said earlier studies suggest each flash produces about 250 moles of nitrogen oxides.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Taylor also drew false-start and holding penalties in the first half, and teammate Travis Kelce had seen enough during the Chiefs’ season-opening game Friday against the Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
-
However, only select regions will get to see the eclipse, including New Zealand, southern Australia, parts of the Pacific and Atlantic, Asia, Africa, and Antarctica.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spy. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share