espionage

noun

es·​pi·​o·​nage ˈe-spē-ə-ˌnäzh How to pronounce espionage (audio) -ˌnäj How to pronounce espionage (audio)
-nij
Canadian also -ˌnazh;
ˌe-spē-ə-ˈnäzh;
i-ˈspē-ə-nij
Synonyms of espionage
: 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 of espionage

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In 2018, Trump started a trade war, and his Department of Justice created the China Initiative, to root out espionage and trade theft, which targeted more than a hundred scientists and others of Chinese descent. — Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 That misconceived rogue-robot sequel to the campy 2022 treat diluted the original’s cheeky horror comedy by overloading on messy espionage elements. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026 Taylor Sheridan’s Lioness Season 3, starring Zoe Saldaña and Nicole Kidman, is here, and Rotten Tomatoes critics in early reviews are engaged in the new episodes in the espionage series. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 The goal was to find and fix the vulnerabilities before hackers and adversarial governments like China began using similar tools to find and exploit them for espionage and sabotage. — Renee Dudley, ProPublica, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for espionage

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of espionage was in 1793

Browse Nearby Words

espino
espionage
Espírito Santo
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Espionage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/espionage. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

espionage

noun
es·​pi·​o·​nage ˈes-pē-ə-ˌnäzh How to pronounce espionage (audio) -näj How to pronounce espionage (audio)
-ˌnij
: the practice of spying : the use of spies

Legal Definition

espionage

noun
es·​pi·​o·​nage ˈes-pē-ə-ˌnäzh, -ˌnäj, -nij How to pronounce espionage (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on espionage

Nglish: Translation of espionage for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about espionage

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