espionage
gb/ˈɛspiənɑd͡ʒ/ us/ˈɛspiənɑd͡ʒ/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C1
process
1
secret spying for information
Secretly finding out another country’s, organization’s, or company’s private information.
Usage pattern:
[someone] engages in espionage; [someone] is accused of espionage; espionage against [a country/company]
Common mistake:
Espionage is usually uncountable: say cases of espionage or acts of espionage, not espions or espionages.
Synonyms
spying (more common and less formal)
|
intelligence gathering (broader and often more neutral or official)
|
covert surveillance (emphasizes secret observation rather than obtaining secrets)
Antonyms
counterespionage (work to detect or prevent espionage rather than carry it out)
|
transparency (open sharing of information rather than secret collection)
Collocations
conduct espionage
|engage in espionage
|be accused of espionage
|be charged with espionage
|be convicted of espionage
|espionage activities
|espionage operation
|espionage network
|foreign espionage
|military espionage
Themes
intelligence
|security
|politics
|military
|business
|crime
Examples
- The engineer was arrested on charges of espionage after allegedly passing trade secrets to a foreign government.
- The agency denied that its diplomats had been involved in espionage.
- Modern espionage often depends as much on hacking as on traditional spies.
Learner examples
- He was accused of espionage.
- Espionage is secret work to get important information.
Grammar
Dictionary form
espionage
IPA
GB/ˈɛspiənɑd͡ʒ/
US/ˈɛspiənɑd͡ʒ/
Syllables & stress
es - pi - on - age (4 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (es)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: espionage
- Plural: espionage
Expressions
an act of espionage
1/ən ˈækt əv ˈɛspiənɑd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
formal
one spying incident
One specific example of spying.
Examples
- Officials called the theft of the files an act of espionage.
- The company argued that copying the database was not just misconduct but an act of espionage.
- Planting the listening device in the embassy was treated as an act of espionage.
corporate espionage
1/kˈɔɹpɚɪt ˈɛspiənɑd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
business spying
Secretly getting private information from a company, often to help another company.
Examples
- The lawsuit accused a former manager of corporate espionage.
- Companies train staff to recognize phishing attempts that could lead to corporate espionage.
- The investigation found no proof of corporate espionage by the rival firm.
counter-espionage
1/kˈaʊntɚ ˈɛspiənɑd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
formal
stopping enemy spies
Secret work done to find or stop spies.
Examples
- The agency expanded its counter-espionage unit after several leaks.
- Counter-espionage officers monitored the suspected spy network for months.
- The new rules were presented as counter-espionage measures.
cyber espionage
1/sˈaɪbɚ ˈɛspiənɑd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
technical
digital spying
Using computers or the internet to secretly get private or secret information.
Examples
- Officials blamed the data breach on a foreign cyber espionage group.
- Cyber espionage has become a major concern for hospitals, universities, and defense contractors.
- The report described years of cyber espionage targeting government email accounts.
economic espionage
1/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪk ˈɛspiənɑd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
formal
spying for economic gain
Secretly getting economic or business information to help a country or organization compete.
Examples
- Prosecutors described the theft of semiconductor designs as economic espionage.
- The government warned that universities were increasingly targets for economic espionage.
- Economic espionage can damage entire industries, not just individual companies.
industrial espionage
1/ɪndˈʌstɹiəl ˈɛspiənɑd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
spying on companies
Secretly stealing or collecting a company’s private business information.
Examples
- The company said the stolen prototype was evidence of industrial espionage.
- Several employees were questioned during an investigation into industrial espionage.
- Industrial espionage can involve hacking, bribery, or planting an insider in a company.
military espionage
1/mˈɪlɪtˌɛɹi ˈɛspiənɑd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
formal
spying on armed forces
Secretly getting information about another country’s army, weapons, or defense plans.
Examples
- The documents revealed details of a military espionage operation during the war.
- The officer was suspected of military espionage after classified maps were found in his apartment.
- Military espionage remains a major concern even between countries that are not officially at war.
the espionage act
1/ðə ˈɛspiənɑd͡ʒ ˈækt/
fixed phrase
legal
U.S. secrecy law
A U.S. law used in cases involving national defense secrets.
Examples
- The former contractor was charged under the Espionage Act.
- Debates about the Espionage Act often involve national security and press freedom.
- Prosecutors said the documents contained information covered by the Espionage Act.