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
The government's tracking system relies on an amalgam of public and private information sifted, sorted and packaged by contractors that include Palantir Technologies, Deloitte, Japanese conglomerate NEC and smaller spyware specialists.
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
It was a locked-down spyware version of Internet Explorer, Microsoft's crashware turd that no one under the age of 40 used voluntarily.
From Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
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