as in espionage
the secret gathering of information on others
traditionally, anyone caught engaging in spying during wartime was shot or hanged
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in spotting
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
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Recent Examples of spying
Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
Middlesbrough are gathering other evidence and have a statement from a former member of Southampton’s staff regarding the practise of ‘spying’ on opponents before matches, according to sources briefed on the matter.
—Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 14 May 2026
His lawyer, John Carman, said federal prosecutors dressed up a mundane paperwork case with specious suggestions that Lu was involved in spying and intelligence gathering.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
Concerns have been raised over such instances of alleged spying on Jewish communities, prompting some to call on the government to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization.
—Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 3 May 2026
But the company continues to face accusations that its products pose a spying threat that China could leverage.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
But the line between collaborating for lawful national security purposes versus unlawful domestic spying is becoming dangerously blurred or ignored.
—Anne Toomey McKenna, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026
Part of the problem is that world governments, which are in the best position to do something about cybersecurity, also exploit software vulnerabilities for spying and other national security purposes.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Arrested on suspicion of spying, they were released from prison in Iran in November.
—Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 14 May 2026
Everything about this, particularly the spying part, seems positivily Hitchcockian.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 14 May 2026
On Monday, Iran hanged a man convicted of allegedly spying for the CIA and Israel's Mossad intelligence service.
—CBS News, 12 May 2026
Republican infighting was on full display as Johnson struggled to cobble together the votes needed to advance a farm bill, extend a critical government spying program, and end the record-long Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 9 May 2026
The Justice Department is seeking to denaturalize a former diplomat who was caught spying for the Cuban government.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 8 May 2026
They are believed to be the first people to have been convicted of spying for China in Britain, local media reported.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
John offers to marry Claire to protect her when the British Army wants to arrest her for spying.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Mizan also reported that Iran executed a man on charges of spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
Until now, Russia’s spying in geosynchronous orbit has primarily focused on eavesdropping on foreign communications.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
Middlesbrough are gathering other evidence and have a statement from a former member of Southampton’s staff regarding the practise of ‘spying’ on opponents before matches, according to sources briefed on the matter.
—Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 14 May 2026
His lawyer, John Carman, said federal prosecutors dressed up a mundane paperwork case with specious suggestions that Lu was involved in spying and intelligence gathering.
—ABC News, 13 May 2026
Concerns have been raised over such instances of alleged spying on Jewish communities, prompting some to call on the government to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization.
—Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 3 May 2026
But the company continues to face accusations that its products pose a spying threat that China could leverage.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
But the line between collaborating for lawful national security purposes versus unlawful domestic spying is becoming dangerously blurred or ignored.
—Anne Toomey McKenna, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026
Part of the problem is that world governments, which are in the best position to do something about cybersecurity, also exploit software vulnerabilities for spying and other national security purposes.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Arrested on suspicion of spying, they were released from prison in Iran in November.
—Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
But as examples like those above illustrate, there’s little reason for companies to resort to outright spying like this, because users simply can’t wait to divulge the most intimate details of their minds and bodies voluntarily.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 14 May 2026
Everything about this, particularly the spying part, seems positivily Hitchcockian.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 14 May 2026
On Monday, Iran hanged a man convicted of allegedly spying for the CIA and Israel's Mossad intelligence service.
—CBS News, 12 May 2026
Republican infighting was on full display as Johnson struggled to cobble together the votes needed to advance a farm bill, extend a critical government spying program, and end the record-long Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 9 May 2026
The Justice Department is seeking to denaturalize a former diplomat who was caught spying for the Cuban government.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 8 May 2026
They are believed to be the first people to have been convicted of spying for China in Britain, local media reported.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
John offers to marry Claire to protect her when the British Army wants to arrest her for spying.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
Mizan also reported that Iran executed a man on charges of spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spying
Noun
-
The Yantar – officially a Russian research ship, but accused of espionage and disruption in NATO waters – sat over the Ursa Major’s wreckage for five days, the source said, before four more explosions were detected, possibly targeting the remains of the ship on the seabed.—
Pau Mosquera,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
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China has routinely refuted interference, espionage, and theft accusations.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
12 May 2026
Verb
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As fans get more sophisticated about visual effects, and AI clips proliferate online, spotting VFX errors have become a bit of a online pastime (and, sometimes, a fake VFX shot turns out to be real after all).—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
-
Buoyed by the technology boom, major indices like the Nasdaq Composite , the Russell 2000 and the S & P 500 have all risen sharply over the past month, but analysts are spotting fragility underneath the top lines.—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
Verb
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In practice, this means noticing the moment that your brain begins replaying an embarrassing scene and deliberately refusing to elaborate on it further.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
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How the Slurpee became an American staple The Slurpee traces its roots back to the 1960s, when businessman Omar Knedlik developed a machine that partially froze soft drinks after noticing customers enjoyed semi-frozen sodas at his Dairy Queen franchise in Kansas.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Hiba imagined seeing snow for the first time and living in a cold state, such as Ohio.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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His absence led to Ben Hutton and Dylan Coghlan seeing elevated minutes, and both handled them well.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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By then, Jeffries was eying a run for Congress.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Either way, when the team reports for training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe in late July, Rodgers will run out with the starters with the goal of leading the Steelers back to the playoffs while eyeing the franchise’s first postseason victory in a decade.—
Will Graves,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
Verb
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The head of a fish, cooked and glossy gray, emerges from a latticed crust, regarding the ceiling with an unnerving, dull-eyed serenity.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
Now, if Edwards were to create a narrative regarding relocation, that would be a different story.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 May 2026
Verb
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According to the complaint, Netflix logs billions of user interactions on its platform, collecting data that allegedly includes viewing habits, entertainment preferences, devices used, household networks, app usage patterns, and other behavioral information.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
11 May 2026
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The mock-trial format will ask whether microdramas represent a natural shift in viewing habits or a break with traditional media models, with the audience acting as both jury and interested party.—
Emiliano de Pablos,
Variety,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spying. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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