spy

noun
UK: /spaɪ/
US: /spaɪ/

  1. A person who secretly collects and reports information about the activities of another country or organization.

    1. He was a spy for the other side, sending them secrets. [ ] [ ]
    2. The former spy revealed details of covert operations during the Cold War. [ ] [ ]

  2. A person who watches or observes someone or something secretly.

    1. She felt like someone was a spy on her all the time. [ ] [ ]
    2. The detective hired a private spy to monitor the suspect's movements. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

agent mole scout observe watch investigate shadow tail
spy verb

  1. To secretly collect and report information about the activities of another country or organization.

    1. I think someone might spy on me, it's scary. [ ] [ ]
    2. Governments sometimes spy on their own citizens for national security. [ ] [ ]

  2. To watch or observe someone or something secretly.

    1. Don't spy on your neighbors it's not polite at all. [ ] [ ]
    2. She used binoculars to spy on the birds in the nearby forest. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "spy" in English means: A person who secretly collects and reports information about the activities of another country or organization., A person who watches or observes someone or something secretly..

The phonetic transcription of "spy" is /spaɪ/ in British English and /spaɪ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "spy": agent, mole, scout, observe, watch, investigate, shadow, tail.

Example usage of "spy": "He was a spy for the other side, sending them secrets.". More examples on the page.