intelligence agency

American  

noun

1. a government department charged with obtaining intelligence, or information, especially for use by the armed forces.

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Other Word Forms

• intelligence agent
  noun

Etymology

Origin of intelligence agency

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

In November, Britain's domestic intelligence agency MI5 warned that China was using spies disguised as head-hunters to recruit parliamentarians, through LinkedIn among others.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Last month, Lebanese authorities charged four people with kidnapping Ahmad Shukr -- whose brother Hassan is suspected of involvement in Arad's capture -- on behalf of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

To help make the case on Iran, Graham traveled several times to Israel in recent weeks, meeting with members of the country’s intelligence agency.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

In the 1953 coup, America's CIA intelligence agency and Britain's MI6 conspired with Iranians to overthrow the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

A known member of the GRU, the Soviet military intelligence agency.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin