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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of spy
refinery29.com, 3 Jan. 2025
When their cover is blown, Emily (Diaz) and Matt (Foxx) get dragged back into the spy business.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 3 Jan. 2025
Jake Whitney, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024
Claire comes home one day from spying and finds Lord John in tears, meeting with a captain from the Royal Navy.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 29 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spy 
Noun
In Season 2, Owen gets pulled into the South Korean spy trade after an agent in the country convinces him to help with a personal mission that his bosses cannot find out about.
—refinery29.com, 3 Jan. 2025
When their cover is blown, Emily (Diaz) and Matt (Foxx) get dragged back into the spy business.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
Just ten people had been convicted of spying for Japan, and all had been white.
—Jake Whitney, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024
Claire comes home one day from spying and finds Lord John in tears, meeting with a captain from the Royal Navy.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 29 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spy
Noun
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Several Yemeni al-Qaeda operatives failed to get visas to the U.S. because they were viewed as potential economic migrants, McDermott and Meyer write.Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
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Stars like Denise Richards, Stephen Baldwin, Kyla Pratt, Bachelor franchise alums, and professional athletes — even Olympians — get pushed to their physical limits on the reality series in which ex-United States Special Forces operatives lead them through demanding training exercises.Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
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This summer, British model Lila Moss was spotted atop one of the neon green steeds; while award-winning fashion designer, Stella McCartney, was seen going for an evening ride around Notting Hill with Kate Hudson in 2023.Leah Dolan, CNN, 15 Jan. 2025
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Brown was spotted reading the book on the sideline during a playoff game.Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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By Kent Page Education is one of the most powerful agents of change in the world.UNICEF USA, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
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The others include a real estate agent, a nanny and a pastry chef.Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Now watchdogs are eyeing more than just profit reporting.Noah Barsky, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
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The Matlock star eyed the camera while jokingly ripping up a piece of paper.Brendan Le, People.com, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Starring Sean Penn, it was based on a book Crowe wrote after spending a year undercover as a student at Clairemont High School in San Diego.Justin Kroll, Deadline, 11 July 2024
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Blazer had been wearing a wire, working in tandem with an FBI undercover, ensnaring more than ten coaches in an elaborate plot that revealed corruption in the basketball programs at Louisville, Arizona, LSU, USC and other schools.Guy Lawson, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2024
Verb
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Fans of the two stars noticed the interaction and took to Reddit to share their thoughts on the shoutout.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
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Reframing the problem may have shifted attention back to it, prompting women to notice the imbalance with fresh eyes.Kim Elsesser, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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If anyone suspected there was a mole in Utah, Williams would be the natural choice to lead the mole hunt.Joshua Kaplan, ProPublica, 4 Jan. 2025
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Andy Lau and Tony Leung star in the story of a cop who goes undercover in a Triad while a criminal becomes a mole in the other direction at the same time.Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The group was seen filling buckets of water from Libonati's pool and passing it among themselves to douse the smoking spots around the house.Janhvi Bhojwani, NBC News, 10 Jan. 2025
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Not seeing the skull in the barrel is such a rookie move.Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 9 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near spy
Cite this Entry
“Spy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spy. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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