noun the government had planted two spies in the organization SECRET AGENT , undercover agent, enemy agent, foreign agent, secret service agent, intelligence agent, double agent, counterspy, industrial spy, fifth columnist, mole, plant, scout; control, handler; N. Amer. spook; informal snooper; archaic intelligencer; archaic, informal beagle.
verb 1she spied some asparagus on a stall NOTICE , observe, see, spot, sight, catch sight of, glimpse, catch/get a glimpse of, make out, discern, pick out, detect, have sight of; informal clap/lay/set eyes on; poetic/literary espy, behold, descry.
2the couple were spied on by reporters OBSERVE FURTIVELY , keep under surveillance, watch, keep a watch on, keep an eye on, keep under observation, follow, shadow, trail; informal tail; rare surveil.
3he agreed to spy for the West BE A SPY , be engaged in spying, gather intelligence, work for the secret service; informal snoop.