as in to notice
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
out of the corner of my eye I espied the squirrel making another raid on the bird feeder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of espy
The film’s comedy is built from a series of infinitesimal touches and chance intrusions, as when Édouard, espying Charles in the street, leaps from his seat at a sidewalk café and jostles a waiter bearing drinks.
—
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 July 2024
Imprisoned by the Duke of Athens, the cousins espy the beautiful Emilia from their cell—and each man falls immediately in love.
—Andrea Mays, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2024
If a basket-hanger was espied by the recipient, the recipient would give chase and try to steal a kiss from the basket-hanger.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2024
Images taken from different realities, different spaces, times, places that have been sort of cut out and pasted together to create a new scene that depicts something that no human eye would ever have espied.
—Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2023
Resentful 1970s émigrés were prodding the West to espy its true enemy not in communism, but in an irredeemable Russia.
—Ignat Solzhenitsyn, WSJ, 23 Oct. 2020
The cub tried to sneak up on him, but was quickly espied by the older lion.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 20 June 2019
For instance, visitors can scan through an electronic infographic for terrariums filled with camouflaging Gulf Coast toads, then head outside onto more than 2 miles of dirt and boardwalk trails to espy the bayou's flora and fauna.
—Beau Evans, NOLA.com, 6 Oct. 2017
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 July 2024
Imprisoned by the Duke of Athens, the cousins espy the beautiful Emilia from their cell—and each man falls immediately in love.
—Andrea Mays, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2024
If a basket-hanger was espied by the recipient, the recipient would give chase and try to steal a kiss from the basket-hanger.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2024
Images taken from different realities, different spaces, times, places that have been sort of cut out and pasted together to create a new scene that depicts something that no human eye would ever have espied.
—Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2023
Resentful 1970s émigrés were prodding the West to espy its true enemy not in communism, but in an irredeemable Russia.
—Ignat Solzhenitsyn, WSJ, 23 Oct. 2020
The cub tried to sneak up on him, but was quickly espied by the older lion.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, 20 June 2019
For instance, visitors can scan through an electronic infographic for terrariums filled with camouflaging Gulf Coast toads, then head outside onto more than 2 miles of dirt and boardwalk trails to espy the bayou's flora and fauna.
—Beau Evans, NOLA.com, 6 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for espy
Verb
-
Without anyone noticing, the cat went into the family bathroom, sat on the toilet seat, and peed in it like a human, despite the fact that nobody had ever shown him how to use a toilet before.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Fans of Thai Orchid will notice several differences between the original location at 6504 Martway St. Dark gray light fixtures hang from its high ceilings.—
Jenna Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The rum-baba renaissance currently sweeping London sees this long-standing convention as a negotiable starting point.—
Hilary Armstrong,
Robb Report,
22 Mar. 2025
-
After Uncle Sam got on the motorcycle, as previously seen on every night of both residencies, there was an edit, and then a cut right to the skeletal avatar driving around a neon cartoon rendering of the streets of Las Vegas.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
On March 19, an employee at Grand Teton National Park spotted a grizzly north of the park’s boundary.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Raducanu spotted him and approached the umpire in tears during the second game, retreating behind the official’s chair.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Nations across the globe are eyeing the success of their neighbors in medical tourism and want in.—
Keydra Manns,
Essence,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Developers hope to include a restaurant in the new commercial space and are eyeing the House of Hits building, which collapsed in 2021, for a music entertainment venue.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Espy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espy. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share