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
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
In March, two Democrats and two Republicans opposed to the law’s broad spying authority introduced a bill to limit the government’s ability to obtain Americans’ private communications without a warrant.
—
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
Congress seemed likely to renew the FISA provision at the last minute despite bipartisan concerns about the scope of government spying.
—
Jason Willick,
Washington Post,
6 June 2026
The Five Eyes, which has its roots in US-UK cooperation during World War II, is one of the world’s most comprehensive spying alliances.
—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
Another possible complication is if any more evidence emerges of further spying on teams who missed out on automatic promotion or qualification for the play-offs.
—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
21 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
Sophia Mandt,
The Washington Examiner,
30 June 2026
In 2024, the Canadian women’s national team was accused of using a drone to spy on a New Zealand training session in the days leading up to its opening match at the Paris Olympics, triggering a spying scandal that led to sanctions against Canada.
—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
But that doesn’t mean the government’s spying powers will disappear.
—
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
Following the House vote, congressional Republicans blamed Democrats for putting a key spying tool in jeopardy, noting the high-level security events happening around the country in the coming weeks such as July 4 celebrations and World Cup matches.
—
Lisa Hagen,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 2026
Congress is struggling to meet a fast-approaching deadline to extend a key government spying law, potentially jeopardizing national security as the Iran war drags on.
—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
But Southampton’s expulsion following the spying scandal has handed Middlesbrough an extraordinary reprieve — and the betting market has reacted in their favour.
—
Dean Jones,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
The incident comes as relations between the two countries remain at a historic low over the Ukraine war and longstanding spying allegations.
—
CBS News,
20 May 2026
In November, a Sanaa court convicted 17 people of spying for foreign governments and sentenced them to death.
—
ABC News,
18 May 2026
Noun
As a result, stories revealing the NSA’s mass spying tactics were published in The Guardian, The Washington Post and other outlets around the world.
—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
In March, two Democrats and two Republicans opposed to the law’s broad spying authority introduced a bill to limit the government’s ability to obtain Americans’ private communications without a warrant.
—
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
Congress seemed likely to renew the FISA provision at the last minute despite bipartisan concerns about the scope of government spying.
—
Jason Willick,
Washington Post,
6 June 2026
The Five Eyes, which has its roots in US-UK cooperation during World War II, is one of the world’s most comprehensive spying alliances.
—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
Another possible complication is if any more evidence emerges of further spying on teams who missed out on automatic promotion or qualification for the play-offs.
—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
21 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
Verb
This is not the first time an American has been accused of spying for Iran.
—
Sophia Mandt,
The Washington Examiner,
30 June 2026
In 2024, the Canadian women’s national team was accused of using a drone to spy on a New Zealand training session in the days leading up to its opening match at the Paris Olympics, triggering a spying scandal that led to sanctions against Canada.
—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
But that doesn’t mean the government’s spying powers will disappear.
—
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
Following the House vote, congressional Republicans blamed Democrats for putting a key spying tool in jeopardy, noting the high-level security events happening around the country in the coming weeks such as July 4 celebrations and World Cup matches.
—
Lisa Hagen,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 2026
Congress is struggling to meet a fast-approaching deadline to extend a key government spying law, potentially jeopardizing national security as the Iran war drags on.
—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
But Southampton’s expulsion following the spying scandal has handed Middlesbrough an extraordinary reprieve — and the betting market has reacted in their favour.
—
Dean Jones,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
The incident comes as relations between the two countries remain at a historic low over the Ukraine war and longstanding spying allegations.
—
CBS News,
20 May 2026
In November, a Sanaa court convicted 17 people of spying for foreign governments and sentenced them to death.
—
ABC News,
18 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spying
Noun
-
Israel has been facing an unprecedented wave of domestic espionage since 2023.
-
China is deploying market access to steal intellectual property, monitor Americans and conduct economic espionage.
Verb
-
On Wednesday, officers arrested the suspect after spotting him in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood, according to the police statement.
-
The lower the number, the brighter the object, with the human eye capable of spotting targets down to a magnitude of +6 from a dark sky location.
Verb
-
That matters because adults wait an average of nine years after first noticing hearing loss before treating it.
-
Research has increasingly pointed to app designs built for engagement and addiction rather than actual matchmaking, and users are noticing.
Verb
-
The journey in seeing a friend’s city anew becomes another way of seeing home.
-
On June 9, witnesses reported seeing a man start a small brush fire in a field behind the Wal-Mart on Camino Arroyo, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.
Verb
-
Research shows that 71% of leaders are under severe stress, with 40% eyeing the exit.
-
Now, more and more Americans are eyeing up new lives south of the equator.
Verb
-
The local health department is responsible for the initial investigation of consumer complaints regarding foods served or sold at retail food facilities, according to the California Department of Public Health.
-
Mora’s attorneys say Giumarra has not provided documents regarding its license to the nectarine variety.
Verb
-
In a time of profound uncertainty, early Americans watched it closely despite poor viewing conditions.
-
Nielsen now captures out-of-home viewing far more extensively than in either prior cycle, which flatters every 2026 number.
Cite this Entry
“Spying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spying. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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