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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of spying
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026
London - Despite fears of Chinese spying and hacking, the British government gave the go-ahead Tuesday for China to build a massive new embassy in the heart of London.
—Ramy Inocencio, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
Kovrig and Spavor, who were accused of spying, spent almost three years in Chinese detention before being released in 2021, hours after Meng made a deal with the Justice Department.
—Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
He is best known for leading Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency — tasked with spying for the government — for four years until 2017, stepping down after he was suspended and later sacked by Tinubu’s predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.
—Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 28 Nov. 2025
Having unwittingly helped the powers that be further their flying-monkey spying program, Elphaba — powerful, misunderstood, knows how to rock a pointy hat — has stolen the spell book known as the Grimmerie and declared war on the con artist known as Wizard.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2025
The sale has also raised intelligence concerns that China could gather information about the plane's technology through spying or its military ties with Saudi Arabia.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025
How does satellite ‘spying’ work and how is it detected?
—Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Marlowe’s supposed involvement in spying then becomes the skeleton key to his psyche.
—Isaac Butler, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025
Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025
The soaring golden orbs may have fooled my eager spying eyes a few times.
—Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 20 Dec. 2025
Russian personnel with links to the country’s military and security services have engaged in spying in European waters while working covertly on ships carrying Russian oil, Western and Ukrainian intelligence sources exclusively told CNN.
—Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025
And don’t forget spying whale spouts from the coastal cliffs, sans guardrails!
—Crai S Bower, Outside, 18 Dec. 2025
Busby says since spying the rare deer for the first time, and being left confused and charmed by the animal's unique coat, the piebald deer has appeared around his home several more times.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025
During Pollard’s detention, Huckabee was among several pro-Israeli politicians who advocated for his release, arguing that the sentence was too severe for someone who had been spying for an ally.
—Paul Goldman, NBC news, 21 Nov. 2025
They were linked in a secret video shown to Party members to a Cuban businessman accused of spying for Spain, though they were never charged.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
In 2024, 64 people in Taiwan were prosecuted for spying for China—more than the previous two years combined—with principal targets being current or former military personnel.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a warning about a growing cyber threat that turns everyday QR codes into spying tools.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026
London - Despite fears of Chinese spying and hacking, the British government gave the go-ahead Tuesday for China to build a massive new embassy in the heart of London.
—Ramy Inocencio, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
Kovrig and Spavor, who were accused of spying, spent almost three years in Chinese detention before being released in 2021, hours after Meng made a deal with the Justice Department.
—Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
He is best known for leading Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency — tasked with spying for the government — for four years until 2017, stepping down after he was suspended and later sacked by Tinubu’s predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.
—Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 28 Nov. 2025
Having unwittingly helped the powers that be further their flying-monkey spying program, Elphaba — powerful, misunderstood, knows how to rock a pointy hat — has stolen the spell book known as the Grimmerie and declared war on the con artist known as Wizard.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2025
The sale has also raised intelligence concerns that China could gather information about the plane's technology through spying or its military ties with Saudi Arabia.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025
How does satellite ‘spying’ work and how is it detected?
—Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Marlowe’s supposed involvement in spying then becomes the skeleton key to his psyche.
—Isaac Butler, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
Various others have been executed in Iran in recent years before the June conflict on allegations of spying for the Mossad, including multiple earlier this year.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 22 Dec. 2025
The soaring golden orbs may have fooled my eager spying eyes a few times.
—Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 20 Dec. 2025
Russian personnel with links to the country’s military and security services have engaged in spying in European waters while working covertly on ships carrying Russian oil, Western and Ukrainian intelligence sources exclusively told CNN.
—Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025
And don’t forget spying whale spouts from the coastal cliffs, sans guardrails!
—Crai S Bower, Outside, 18 Dec. 2025
Busby says since spying the rare deer for the first time, and being left confused and charmed by the animal's unique coat, the piebald deer has appeared around his home several more times.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025
During Pollard’s detention, Huckabee was among several pro-Israeli politicians who advocated for his release, arguing that the sentence was too severe for someone who had been spying for an ally.
—Paul Goldman, NBC news, 21 Nov. 2025
They were linked in a secret video shown to Party members to a Cuban businessman accused of spying for Spain, though they were never charged.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
In 2024, 64 people in Taiwan were prosecuted for spying for China—more than the previous two years combined—with principal targets being current or former military personnel.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spying
Noun
-
All six were brought before a judge in Istanbul, who ordered them held in pretrial detention on charges of political and military espionage.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The relationship deteriorated in the intervening years over growing concern about Chinese espionage, Beijing’s support for Russia in the Ukraine war and its crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong, the former British colony.—
Ken Moritsugu,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Dutch, spotting an old man approaching in a canoe, sent out a sloop to investigate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Here’s where naming a Wall Street pro who’s a master of spotting where danger’s building may prove a hedge against a future calamity.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Or noticing that your hands feel inexplicably stiff and swollen, making simple tasks like opening a jar or even typing feel unusually difficult.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The second witness went inside for safety, then re-emerged, noticing the brothers were fighting, court records state.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And there are places like Glam Doll donuts, a small, hip, independent donut place owned and run by two women, from which the video a lot of people have been seeing was filmed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
What’s more, last year’s average tax refund of $3,167 should jump by hundreds of dollars in 2026 – with some taxpayers seeing four figure increases.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
However, showrunner Allen MacDonald teased to TV Line in December 2025 that Charles is eying the idea.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Quince Mongolian Cashmere Polo Sweater Premium cashmere is still king here, with many Italians eyeing their favorite Italian cashmere brands and waiting for sales to purchase new styles.—
Nneya Richards,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The first-in-the-nation AI legislation is designed to protect consumers from the very real risk of algorithmic discrimination by AI systems in decisions regarding employment, lending, education opportunities, insurance, housing, health care, and essential government services.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
25 Jan. 2026
-
The situation currently is that only a handful of states have enacted new laws regarding AI and mental health, but most states have not yet done so.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Interestingly, the clip of the penguin proved something of a Rorschach test, with some viewing the creature as a lonely outcast, and others interpreting the penguin’s journey as a quest for adventure.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
More than any live-action Marvel show that Disney+ has produced before, Wonder Man accomplishes what Netflix did with Jessica Jones and FX did with Legion (while also creating a much lighter viewing experience).—
Judy Berman,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spying. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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