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
Gerardo Hernández, the leader of a Cuban espionage ring dismantled by the FBI in the 1990s, was sentenced to life in prison but was released by President Barack Obama during a prisoner swap in 2014 as part of an attempt to normalize relations with Cuba.
—
Arkansas Online, 16 May 2026
An immersive look at camouflage and its myriad uses in espionage.
—Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 15 May 2026
By Josh Sisco, Bloomberg Silicon Valley’s top federal prosecutor said his top priorities include cases of trade-secret theft and economic espionage involving foreign adversaries such as China.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 May 2026
The Chinese Embassy did not respond to NPR's request for comment on Wang's case and on broader allegations of espionage.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for espionage
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Arkansas Online, 16 May 2026
An immersive look at camouflage and its myriad uses in espionage.
—Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 15 May 2026
By Josh Sisco, Bloomberg Silicon Valley’s top federal prosecutor said his top priorities include cases of trade-secret theft and economic espionage involving foreign adversaries such as China.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 May 2026
The Chinese Embassy did not respond to NPR's request for comment on Wang's case and on broader allegations of espionage.
—Vanessa Romo, NPR, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for espionage
Cite this Entry
“Espionage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/espionage. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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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