espionage
noun
es·pi·o·nage ˈe-spē-ə-ˌnäzh 
-ˌnäj,
-nij,
Canadian also -ˌnazh;
ˌe-spē-ə-ˈnäzh;
i-ˈspē-ə-nij : the practice of spying or using spies to obtain information about the plans and activities especially of a foreign government or a competing company
industrial espionage
Synonyms
- spying
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
He was charged with several counts of espionage. the acts of espionage on behalf of the Confederacy carried on by Belle Boyd and Rose Greenhow
Recent Examples on the Web Jonathan Toebbe and his schoolteacher wife, Diana, were arrested in October and pleaded guilty in February to espionage charges. 
Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2022 Separately, hackers likely conducting Chinese espionage breached News Corp in an intrusion that was discovered by the company on January 20. Wired, 5 July 2022 Act, a bill that would establish new safeguards against espionage and intellectual property theft in America’s public and private space industries. Marco Rubio, CNN, 26 Aug. 2022 The case has drawn speculation about Russian espionage. From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 25 Aug. 2022 The Soviet Union managed to develop its arsenal without access to Western (or modern Chinese) technology, obtaining it through espionage networks where necessary. Marc Champion, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Aug. 2022 Prosecutors said that after their arrest, while left in a room alone, Primrose and Morrison allegedly referenced things related to espionage. Teddy Grant, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2022 Two Russians and a Ukrainian citizen have been arrested for alleged espionage at Çekin Military Plant, an arms manufacturing plant in southern Albania, the Albanian Defense Ministry said late Saturday. Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 21 Aug. 2022 They -- Chinese espionage, out-of- control crime in our cities. CBS News, 21 Aug. 2022 See More
Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2022 Separately, hackers likely conducting Chinese espionage breached News Corp in an intrusion that was discovered by the company on January 20. Wired, 5 July 2022 Act, a bill that would establish new safeguards against espionage and intellectual property theft in America’s public and private space industries. Marco Rubio, CNN, 26 Aug. 2022 The case has drawn speculation about Russian espionage. From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 25 Aug. 2022 The Soviet Union managed to develop its arsenal without access to Western (or modern Chinese) technology, obtaining it through espionage networks where necessary. Marc Champion, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Aug. 2022 Prosecutors said that after their arrest, while left in a room alone, Primrose and Morrison allegedly referenced things related to espionage. Teddy Grant, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2022 Two Russians and a Ukrainian citizen have been arrested for alleged espionage at Çekin Military Plant, an arms manufacturing plant in southern Albania, the Albanian Defense Ministry said late Saturday. Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 21 Aug. 2022 They -- Chinese espionage, out-of- control crime in our cities. CBS News, 21 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
French espionnage, from Middle French, from espionner to spy, from espion spy, from Old Italian spione, from spia, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German spehōn to spy — more at spy
First Known Use
1793, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
espionage
noun
es·pi·o·nage ˈe-spē-ə-ˌnäzh
: the practice of spying : the use of spies
Legal Definition
espionage
noun
es·pi·o·nage ˈes-pē-ə-ˌnäzh, -ˌnäj, -nij
: the practice of gathering, transmitting, or losing through gross negligence information relating to the defense of the U.S. with the intent that or with reason to believe that the information will be used to the injury of the U.S. or the advantage of a foreign nation
espionage
noun
as in spying
the secret gathering of information on others the acts of espionage on behalf of the Confederacy carried on by Belle Boyd and Rose Greenhow Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- spying
- counterespionage
- counterintelligence
- surveillance
- reconnaissance
- tradecraft
- wiretapping
- cloak-and-dagger
- intelligence
- eavesdropping
- bugging
- observation
- lowdown
- dope
- goods