espionage

noun

es·​pi·​o·​nage ˈe-spē-ə-ˌnäzh  -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

Synonyms

• spying

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

Ginsburg cites Chinese laws requiring companies to assist the government in criminal and national-security cases, like TikTok spying on journalists covering the company, and the extensive history of Chinese espionage in the US. —Rob Pegoraro, PCMAG, 6 Dec. 2024

This is the first time T-Mobile has provided details on activity that could be linked to the sprawling espionage campaign that continues to worry U.S. officials. —Sam Sabin, Axios, 6 Dec. 2024

According to its description, season two will find Centineo’s CIA lawyer pulled into even more life-threatening espionage situations, this time in South Korea, only to find out that the bigger threat may be coming from inside the Agency. —Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Dec. 2024

Leung, an American in his 70s who also has permanent residency in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong, was sentenced to life in prison last year after being found guilty of espionage by a court in eastern China. —Abigail Williams, NBC News, 29 Nov. 2024

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

Kids Definition

espionage

noun

es·​pi·​o·​nage ˈes-pē-ə-ˌnäzh  -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