as in spotted
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
I spy a motel off in the distance, so let's spend the night there
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of spied
For years, the rover ascended a feature called Mount Sharp within the crater, aiming to reach clay-rich layers that orbiters circling the planet had spied.
—
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
And Mindi said at one point she was being spied upon.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Residents near Hereford House who spied the visitors that morning may have wondered what their arrival portended for the town.
—Longreads, 5 Mar. 2026
But there’s no snow on the 101 Freeway near Thousand Oaks — which might come as a surprise to those who spied an errant travel alert from the California Department of Transportation.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
The moon's immense shadow was also spied by South Korea's GEO-KOMPSAT-2A weather satellite from its perch 22,370 miles (36,000 km) above Earth in geostationary orbit, close to the shadowy line of the night-day terminator.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 18 Feb. 2026
The organization added that Stone spied Mo on the red carpet, posed for a few photos with the pup, and then decided the dog would be the perfect pet for her youngest son, Quinn.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Where skeptics spied a bubble, the revolution’s leaders saw the dawn of a new era of abundance.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
The real story of Barbie’s origins is much messier, and more interesting—especially as told in Barbieland, Tarpley Hitt’s rollicking tale of how Mattel spied, copied and stole its way to market dominance, then fought with military intensity to compel us to buy more and more.
—Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
And Mindi said at one point she was being spied upon.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Residents near Hereford House who spied the visitors that morning may have wondered what their arrival portended for the town.
—Longreads, 5 Mar. 2026
But there’s no snow on the 101 Freeway near Thousand Oaks — which might come as a surprise to those who spied an errant travel alert from the California Department of Transportation.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
The moon's immense shadow was also spied by South Korea's GEO-KOMPSAT-2A weather satellite from its perch 22,370 miles (36,000 km) above Earth in geostationary orbit, close to the shadowy line of the night-day terminator.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 18 Feb. 2026
The organization added that Stone spied Mo on the red carpet, posed for a few photos with the pup, and then decided the dog would be the perfect pet for her youngest son, Quinn.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Where skeptics spied a bubble, the revolution’s leaders saw the dawn of a new era of abundance.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Dec. 2025
The real story of Barbie’s origins is much messier, and more interesting—especially as told in Barbieland, Tarpley Hitt’s rollicking tale of how Mattel spied, copied and stole its way to market dominance, then fought with military intensity to compel us to buy more and more.
—Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spied
Verb
-
Eta Aquarid meteors can be spotted from April 19 to May 28 as Earth passes through the debris trail left in the wake of Halley's Comet as the comet races along its 76-year orbit.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
-
Cops are looking for three men spotted fleeing the scene.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Cook noticed that all of the lead characters could be said to have conflicting desires, which gave her idea of how to stage the show using the traditional singing/signing model.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Their disappearance was not noticed for several hours and touched off a massive manhunt.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Moving a blade back and forth to try to saw biscuits apart will make their layers stick (and ruin the rise).—
Ella Quittner,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Ruggeri says that, in comparison to saw palmetto, which gets far more attention.—
Adam Hurly,
Robb Report,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Frosted strawberry Pop-Tarts eyed their whole-wheat counterparts with suspicion.—
Sarah Todd,
STAT,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Its leaders have eyed the narrow waterways like the Strait of Malacca through which this fuel flows as potential chokepoints if a future adversary wanted to strangle Beijing’s supply.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Qualifying for the Champions League again via a top-five finish was regarded as the bare minimum.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens has held continuous AZA accreditation since 1986, regarded as the highest standard for animal care and welfare.—
Ryan Brennan
April 27,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spied. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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