spyware

noun

spy·​ware ˈspī-ˌwer How to pronounce spyware (audio)
: software that is installed in a computer or mobile device without the user's knowledge and that transmits information about the user's activities
Jan should scan her computer for viruses, worms, and spywareKenneth Baldauf and Ralph Stair
Smartphones belonging to more than three dozen journalists, human rights activists, and business executives have been infected with powerful spyware that an Israeli firm sells, purportedly to catch terrorists and criminals, The Washington Post and other publications reported.Dan Goodin

Examples of spyware in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Threat actors want your passwords to facilitate everything from ransomware to spyware attacks. Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025 Beyond sending a message to spyware merchants, the case also pulled back the curtain — ever so slightly — on the inner workings of NSO itself. Reuters, NBC news, 6 May 2025 Apple has detected mercenary spyware attacks on select iPhones and issued Threat Notifications to those affected, TechCrunch reports. Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 2 May 2025 Extensions from random websites or third-party downloads are far more likely to hide malware or spyware. Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spyware

Word History

First Known Use

1994, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spyware was in 1994

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Cite this Entry

“Spyware.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spyware. Accessed 17 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

spyware

noun
spy·​ware
ˈspī-ˌwer
: software that is installed in a computer or mobile device without the user's knowledge and that transmits information about the user's activities

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