spy
1 of 2verb
ˈspī 
spied; spying
transitive verb
1
: to watch secretly usually for hostile purposes
2
: to catch sight of : see
3
: to search or look for intensively —usually used with out
spy out places fit for vending … goods
S. E. Morison
S. E. Morisonintransitive verb
1
: to observe or search for something : look
2
: to watch secretly as a spy
spy
2 of 2noun
plural spies
1
: one that spies:
a
: one who keeps secret watch on a person or thing to obtain information
b
: a person employed by one nation to secretly convey classified information of strategic importance to another nation
also : a person who conveys the trade secrets of one company to another
2
: an act of spying
Synonyms
Verb
- behold
- catch
- descry
- discern
- distinguish
- espy
- eye
- look (at)
- note
- notice
- observe
- perceive
- regard
- remark
- see
- sight
- spot
- view
- witness
Noun
- agent
- asset
- emissary
- intelligencer
- mole
- operative
- spook
- undercover
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb They were accused of spying for a foreign government. I spy a motel off in the distance, so let's spend the night there. Noun He was a spy for the CIA. My coworker is a spy for the boss.
Recent Examples on the Web Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Sep. 2022 Eagle-eyed viewers will also spy The Rise of Skywalker's Babu Frik as well as a tree full of Kowakian monkey-lizards similar to Return of the Jedi's Salacious B. Crumb. Laura Morgan, EW.com, 10 Sep. 2022 Once ensconced, Wyatt could spy on the Muskie campaign. Manuel Roig-franzia, Washington Post, 8 June 2022 Observant watchers might spy a fast-moving California kingsnake. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 6 June 2022 Andrii was asked to use his drone to spy on advancing Russian vehicles in Makariv, a village near his own village of Kolonschyna, in the outskirts of Kiev. Michela Moscufo, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2022 Tehran said that the new satellite will be used for scientific purposes, but western officials fear it could be used to spy on targets inside Israel and across the Middle East. Bojan Pancevski, WSJ, 9 Aug. 2022 That could backfire if GOP voters spy a case of unequal and retributive justice. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2022 The probe was launched after Calcalist, a local business daily, published an explosive report that the police had used Pegasus, a controversial technology developed by Israel's NSO Group, to spy on public figures. Emily Rose, ajc, 1 Aug. 2022 Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 17 Sep. 2022 Ex-spy Elizabeth receives menacing anonymous texts. Malcolm Forbes, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2022 The spy drama was universally praised for its writing, characters, and acting. Toby Grey, BGR, 16 Sep. 2022 Undeniable leader of the pack is Elizabeth, former spy and enduring spouse of the charming Stephen, who’s experiencing some dementia but is still able to advance his wife’s inquiries. Tom Nolan, WSJ, 16 Sep. 2022 Word of Rhaenyra and Daemon’s dangerous (though unconsummated) liaison quickly travels back to the Red Keep via a child spy in the employ of, of all people, Daemon’s paramour Mysaria. Sean T. Collins, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2022 The King's Hand, Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) informed Viserys that a street spy of his saw Daemon and Rhaenyra intertwined at the brothel. Ryan Parker, Peoplemag, 11 Sep. 2022 Now, with Netflix planning to turn the film into a sprawling spy franchise thanks to a sequel and a spinoff, fans were bursting with enthusiasm to talk about not only the wild action of the movie, but also the future of Netflix as a whole. Carson Burton, Variety, 8 Sep. 2022 Barely out of his teens, Hall became a spy for the Soviet Union, America’s ally at the time. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2022 See More
Verb
SeaWorld Orlando visitors can now spy the beginnings of the theme park’s next roller coaster. Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Sep. 2022 Eagle-eyed viewers will also spy The Rise of Skywalker's Babu Frik as well as a tree full of Kowakian monkey-lizards similar to Return of the Jedi's Salacious B. Crumb. Laura Morgan, EW.com, 10 Sep. 2022 Once ensconced, Wyatt could spy on the Muskie campaign. Manuel Roig-franzia, Washington Post, 8 June 2022 Observant watchers might spy a fast-moving California kingsnake. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 6 June 2022 Andrii was asked to use his drone to spy on advancing Russian vehicles in Makariv, a village near his own village of Kolonschyna, in the outskirts of Kiev. Michela Moscufo, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2022 Tehran said that the new satellite will be used for scientific purposes, but western officials fear it could be used to spy on targets inside Israel and across the Middle East. Bojan Pancevski, WSJ, 9 Aug. 2022 That could backfire if GOP voters spy a case of unequal and retributive justice. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 10 Aug. 2022 The probe was launched after Calcalist, a local business daily, published an explosive report that the police had used Pegasus, a controversial technology developed by Israel's NSO Group, to spy on public figures. Emily Rose, ajc, 1 Aug. 2022 Noun
US Air Force pilots who fly U-2 spy planes always keep a $2 bill in their flight suits. Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 17 Sep. 2022 Ex-spy Elizabeth receives menacing anonymous texts. Malcolm Forbes, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2022 The spy drama was universally praised for its writing, characters, and acting. Toby Grey, BGR, 16 Sep. 2022 Undeniable leader of the pack is Elizabeth, former spy and enduring spouse of the charming Stephen, who’s experiencing some dementia but is still able to advance his wife’s inquiries. Tom Nolan, WSJ, 16 Sep. 2022 Word of Rhaenyra and Daemon’s dangerous (though unconsummated) liaison quickly travels back to the Red Keep via a child spy in the employ of, of all people, Daemon’s paramour Mysaria. Sean T. Collins, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2022 The King's Hand, Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) informed Viserys that a street spy of his saw Daemon and Rhaenyra intertwined at the brothel. Ryan Parker, Peoplemag, 11 Sep. 2022 Now, with Netflix planning to turn the film into a sprawling spy franchise thanks to a sequel and a spinoff, fans were bursting with enthusiasm to talk about not only the wild action of the movie, but also the future of Netflix as a whole. Carson Burton, Variety, 8 Sep. 2022 Barely out of his teens, Hall became a spy for the Soviet Union, America’s ally at the time. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English spien, from Anglo-French espier, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German spehōn to spy; akin to Latin specere to look, look at, Greek skeptesthai & skopein to watch, look at, consider
First Known Use
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing spy
Kids Definition
spy 1 of 2
verb
ˈspī
spied; spying
1
: to watch secretly
Agents spied on the enemy.
2
: to catch sight of : see
He circled the city once, looking for a music store. Suddenly he spied one. E. B. White, The Trumpet of the Swan
E. B. White, The Trumpet of the Swanspy
2 of 2noun
plural spies
1
: a person who watches the movement or actions of others especially in secret
2
: a person who tries secretly to get information especially about a country or organization for another country or organization
spied
verb
as in spotted
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
Relevance
- spotted
- noticed
- saw
- eyed
- espied
- regarded
- remarked
- beheld
- viewed
- watched
- sighted
- observed
- noted
- caught
- witnessed
- discerned
- descried
- perceived
- distinguished
- identified
- scanned
- considered
- got a load of
- laid eyes on
- looked (at)
- marked
- set eyes on
- picked out
- glimpsed
- surveyed
- inspected
- studied
- examined
- scrutinized
- made out
- heeded
- minded
- picked up
- attended (to)
- glanced (at)
- peered (at)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ignored
- neglected
- disregarded
- missed
- overlooked
- passed over
- overpassed