spyware
Americannoun
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Computers. software that is installed surreptitiously and gathers information about an internet user's browsing habits, intercepts the user's personal data, etc., transmitting this information to a third party.
a parent's use of spyware to monitor a child's online activities.
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tools that are used to conduct espionage.
sophisticated spyware that rivals that of the CIA.
noun
Etymology
Origin of spyware
Vocabulary lists containing spyware
Computer Science and Technology - Middle School
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Computer Science and Technology - High School
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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.
Although his movie urged us against this 24/7 spyware future, we have since embraced the convenience.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
Last year, DHS reactivated a $2 million contract with the U.S. subsidiary of Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions, which makes Graphite, a hacking tool that can infiltrate encrypted messaging apps such as Signal and WhatsApp.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
The incredible double life of a spyware salesman turned spy.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 27, 2026
Predator spyware, marketed by the Athens-based Israeli company Intellexa, can get access to a device's messages, camera, and microphone.
From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026
Many of the services were bloated with adware and spyware.
From The Public Domain Enclosing the Commons of the Mind by James Boyle
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.
