counterespionage

American

[kaun-ter-es-pee-uh-nahzh, -nij] / ˌkaʊn tərˈɛs pi əˌnɑʒ, -nɪdʒ /

noun

the detection and frustration of enemy espionage.

counterespionage British

/ ˌkaʊntərˈɛspɪəˌnɑːʒ /

noun

activities designed to detect and counteract enemy espionage

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of counterespionage

First recorded in 1895–1900; counter- + espionage

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

counterespionage

The Foreign Office has also sanctioned two Iranians, including the head of the regime's counterespionage operations - with both men subjected to travel bans and asset freezes.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

In the early 2000s, the BND scaled down its counterespionage efforts, leaving it more vulnerable to penetration by hostile agencies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

The employee filed the complaint with the division director, Robert Turner, a 22-year veteran of the bureau who previously held roles in counterterrorism and counterespionage.

From Salon ● Nov. 18, 2025

Instead, they had dumped him at the so-called Russia Squad in L.A., a counterespionage unit meant to combat Soviet spying.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2025

During World War II, Bill Harvey fought his battles on the home front, leading counterespionage campaigns against the Abwehr, spies that Hitler sent across the Atlantic to sabotage the American war effort.

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023