spy
noun
a person employed by a government to obtain secret information or intelligence about another, usually hostile, country, especially with reference to military or naval affairs.
had spied
-
past perfectof spy.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Cummins had spied another 20 or 30 runs for Australia's last two wickets at the conclusion of the previous day.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2025
Testifying in the USFL’s antitrust lawsuit against the NFL in 1986, Trump denounced allegations that he had spied on NFL officials at one of his hotels, calling the claim “such a false interpretation it’s disgusting.”
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 5, 2023
She headed out the door toward the kitchen, where she had spied some potential voters for the upcoming election.
From New York Times ● Jun. 4, 2023
While working as a U.S. intelligence analyst, Montes had spied for Cuba for 17 years.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 11, 2021
Two days ago, climbing on a spire of rock, she had spied water to the south, a slender thread that glittered briefly as the sun was going down.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
