ENGLISH
REFERENCE

spying

n.
US //ˈspaɪɪŋ// UK //spˈaɪɪŋ// spy·ing
  1. 1 espionage (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the act of secretly watching someone or gathering private information about a country or company.

    the systematic practice of espionage or gathering secret intelligence, often for political or military purposes.

    Example

    The government was accused of spying on its own citizens during the protests.

    Example

    Industrial spying has become a major concern for tech firms as they race to protect their latest patents from international competitors.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'on' to indicate the target of the activity.
Etymology 1

From spy + -ing.

Etymology 2

Inherited from Middle English spyinge, spiyng, spyeng, equivalent to spy + -ing.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 20, 2026