Synonyms for spy
spaɪspy

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 3 votes

1. spy

   The scout and the spy are both employed to obtain information of the numbers, movements, etc., of an enemy. The scout lurks on the outskirts of the hostile army with such concealment as the case admits of, but without disguise; a spy enters in disguise within the enemy's lines. A scout, if captured, has the rights of a prisoner of war; a spy is held to have forfeited all rights, and is liable, in case of capture, to capital punishment. An emissary is rather political than military; sent rather to secretly influence opponents than to bring information concerning them; so far as he does the latter, he is not only an emissary, but a spy.

   Synonyms:
   detective, emissary, scout

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.5 / 2 votes

1. spyverb

   Synonyms:
   see, espy, discern, discover, explore, view, inspect

   Antonyms:
   miss, overlook, misexplore, misobserve

2. spynoun

   Synonyms:
   emissary, detective, scout

   Antonyms:
   sentinel, watchman, warder, patrol

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. spy, undercover agentnoun

   (military) a secret agent hired by a state to obtain information about its enemies or by a business to obtain industrial secrets from competitors

   Synonyms:
   undercover agent

2. spyverb

   a secret watcher; someone who secretly watches other people

   "my spies tell me that you had a good time last night"

   Synonyms:
   undercover agent

3. descry, spot, espy, spyverb

   catch sight of

   Synonyms:
   blob, blemish, snoop, recognize, stag, sight, descry, fleck, espy, pick out, sleuth, recognise, distinguish, tell apart, make out, blot, discern, spot

4. spy, stag, snoop, sleuthverb

   watch, observe, or inquire secretly

   Synonyms:
   snoop, give away, shit, stag, sight, shop, betray, espy, sleuth, rat, snitch, denounce, tell on, grass, spot, descry

5. spy, sightverb

   catch sight of; to perceive with the eyes

   "he caught sight of the king's men coming over the ridge"

   Synonyms:
   spot, stag, sight, descry, sleuth, espy, snoop

6. spyverb

   secretly collect sensitive or classified information; engage in espionage

   "spy for the Russians"

   Synonyms:
   spot, espy, snoop, stag, sight, sleuth, descry

Matched Categories

1. • Investigate
   • Perceive

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. spynoun

   Synonyms:
   scout, emissary (in disguise), secret agent

2. spyverb

   Synonyms:
   see, behold, discern, espy

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. spynoun

   Synonyms:
   scout, emissary (disguised)

2. spyverb

   Synonyms:
   espy, see

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "spy":

   espionage, spying, spies, hyena, spook, eavesdropping, mole, intelligence

Suggested Resources

1. spy

   Song lyrics by spy -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by spy on the Lyrics.com website.

2. SPY

   What does SPY stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the SPY acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

How to pronounce spy?

How to say spy in sign language?

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How to use spy in a sentence?

1. Dan Gainor:

   Media Research Center's easy to forget now, but Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier were among the first black actors who gained widespread acceptance, to many, he's still Alexander Scott from ‘ I Spy ’, Dr. Cliff Huxtable or the voice of Fat Albert. These charges will follow him to the grave, but that doesn't mean people won't watch him.

2. Jeremy Hunt:

   We haven't made our final decision but we have also made it clear that we are considering both the technical issues - how you make sure there isn't a backdoor so that a third country could use 5G to spy on us - but also the strategic issues so that you make sure that you are not technologically over-dependent on a third country for absolutely vital technology.

3. Le Foll:

   We have to verify this spying has finished, between allies this is unacceptable and incomprehensible. France does not spy on its allies.

4. Scott Morrison:

   These suggestions that he's acted as a spy for Australia are absolutely untrue and we'll be protecting and seeking to support our citizen, as we have been doing now for some period of time, we make no apologies for standing up for one of our citizens.

5. Tyler Jacob:

   They told me that the reason they took me off the bus was because I didn't show them my passport, which I believe that they saw that I was the only American amongst all these Turkish citizens, and they decided that they thought I was a spy, so they pulled me aside, made up something and then detained me for 10 days.