espionage
Americannoun
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the act or practice of spying.
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the use of spies by a government to discover the military and political secrets of other nations.
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the use of spies by a corporation or the like to acquire the plans, technical knowledge, etc., of a competitor.
industrial espionage.
noun
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the systematic use of spies to obtain secret information, esp by governments to discover military or political secrets
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the act or practice of spying
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of espionage
First recorded in 1785–95; from French espionnage, Middle French espionage, from espionn(er) “to spy” (derivative of espion “a spy,” from Italian spione, from Germanic ) + -age -age; see espy
Explanation
It's no secret: espionage is the act of organized spying, usually with the goal of uncovering sensitive military or political information. If the government has relocated you to a foreign country, made you change your name, given you a fake mustache to wear, and instructed you to hide in a closet at the presidential palace and report back weekly on what you overhear, then you are engaging in espionage. This noun is similar to snooping, but generally applies to much more serious situations, like when countries or businesses spy on each other to try to obtain top secret information.
Vocabulary lists containing espionage
Vocabulary from the Third and Final Presidential Debate, October 19, 2016
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Farewell to Manzanar
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World War I
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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.
Joby filed a suit late last year alleging corporate espionage against Archer and George Kivork, a former Joby employee who left to work for Archer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
August Hanning has been accused of espionage, treason and obtaining classified information for a foreign power, the German Federal Prosecutor's Office says.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Manfred D, who was Hanning's bureau chief and remained in the BND until this year, is charged with aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
These week, we share an exclusive excerpt from Gershkovich’s new book about facing false espionage charges in Russia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
He saw right away he was dealing with someone trained in tradecraft—the tricks and techniques of espionage.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
