as in operative
a person who tries secretly to obtain information for one country in the territory of another usually unfriendly country
the government spy risked his life every day in the fight against global terrorism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in to spot
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of spy
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 5 June 2025
Later Wednesday, Lee nominated former Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok, a dove who favors greater rapprochement with North Korea, as his spy chief.
—Kim Tong-Hyung, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 May 2025
This sounds like a possible link to spy craft or missile warning, but there's a chance Chinese officials approved the patches to misdirect outside observers, or there's no connection at all.
—ArsTechnica, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spy
Noun
Prime Video has announced that the spy thriller, starring and executive-produced by Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, Hawaii Five-0) and based on the BOOM!
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 5 June 2025
Later Wednesday, Lee nominated former Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok, a dove who favors greater rapprochement with North Korea, as his spy chief.
—Kim Tong-Hyung, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
Verb
On Wednesday, an investigator spied a suspicious drone over the detention center shortly before 3 a.m. and tracked it to a landing spot on top of an SUV parked just down the road.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 May 2025
This sounds like a possible link to spy craft or missile warning, but there's a chance Chinese officials approved the patches to misdirect outside observers, or there's no connection at all.
—ArsTechnica, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for spy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spy
Noun
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Ashman, a 23-year-old water operative from Stafford, was one of two suspects questioned about the incident.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
3 June 2025
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Senior Hamas operatives with British citizenship have established charitable foundations that raise millions of pounds annually, some of which ends up in the hands of the group’s military wing.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2025
Verb
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An invasive creature native to South America has been spotted at a Northern California park, prompting a search, rangers reported.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
8 June 2025
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The unreleased feature has been spotted in a beta version of Android 16 Tired of super-bright HDR videos and photos popping up in your social feeds?—
Paul Monckton,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Noun
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Then in September, a Secret Service agent spotted the muzzle of a rifle sticking out of a fence in bushes at Trump's West Palm Beach golf club while scouting the course ahead of Trump.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
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At Trump’s West Palm Beach, Fla., golf course on Sept. 15, a Secret Service agent scoping out the area one or two holes ahead of him saw the muzzle of an AK-47-style weapon pointing out of the tree line on the perimeter of the course.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2025
Verb
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More Getty Images Now, with the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont upon us, one of the toughest courses that's freaking out professionals, Thomas is eyeing his new goal.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
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Trump may already be eyeing a replacement for the chair of the Fed.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
Noun
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Want to see what else is up for grabs during Wayfair’s undercover Kelly Clarkson Home sale?—
Shea Simmons,
People.com,
6 Feb. 2025
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The Confidential Rental and Leasing Office, created under former Commissioner Ray Kelly, has an important core purpose: to give investigators, including undercovers, a way to procure and use a range of vehicles that don’t automatically give them away, which standard unmarked cop cars tend to do.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Nineteenth-century Americans did not simply notice hair’s unusual properties.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2025
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La Rue claims Leto was observing her so intensely that her mother noticed.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2025
Noun
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Soon, it’ll be revealed that one of them is a mole.—
Jocelyn Noveck,
Twin Cities,
28 May 2025
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When Mission: Impossible began, and Cruise had not yet completed his transformation into a celluloid being whose veins flowed with red carpets, his character, Ethan Hunt, had more modest concerns, like finding moles in the IMF and protecting the identities of undercover CIA agents.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
Verb
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For viewers who prefer to see the film on the big screen, Jaws is scheduled to be re-released in theaters on Aug. 29 in celebration of the film’s 50th anniversary.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
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Larry Snelling could be seen in the Loop as part of a police presence around the crowd.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spy. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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