espionage
noun
es·pi·o·nage
ˈe-spē-ə-ˌnäzh 
-ˌnäj
-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
Examples of espionage in a Sentence
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
Estoril, Portugal Estoril was a center of espionage during WWII, when both Axis and Allied spies and personnel (including Fleming—then a British naval officer) filled its hotels.
—
Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 29 July 2025
Some states have taken preemptive action to prevent espionage from occurring.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 24 July 2025
For years, Ortiz was held in the Caracas headquarters of Venezuela’s Military Counterintelligence Directorate, initially under suspicion of espionage.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 23 July 2025
Meanwhile, the Israeli government has launched its own media campaign warning citizens against being lured into espionage by Iran.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for espionage
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Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 29 July 2025
Some states have taken preemptive action to prevent espionage from occurring.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 24 July 2025
For years, Ortiz was held in the Caracas headquarters of Venezuela’s Military Counterintelligence Directorate, initially under suspicion of espionage.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 23 July 2025
Meanwhile, the Israeli government has launched its own media campaign warning citizens against being lured into espionage by Iran.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for espionage
Cite this Entry
“Espionage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/espionage. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
espionage
noun
es·pi·o·nage
ˈes-pē-ə-ˌnäzh
-näj
-näj
-ˌnij
: 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
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