counterintelligence

noun

coun·​ter·​in·​tel·​li·​gence ˌkau̇n-tər-in-ˈte-lə-jən(t)s How to pronounce counterintelligence (audio)
Synonyms of counterintelligencenext
: organized activity of an intelligence service designed to block an enemy's sources of information, to deceive the enemy, to prevent sabotage, and to gather political and military information

Examples of counterintelligence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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But beyond that particular case, the suit says, the agents and analysts had a diversity of career experience, including expertise in the counterintelligence threat from Iran and instances of helping recover American hostages held abroad. — Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026 In 1990, senior West German counterintelligence official Klaus Kuron was ​exposed as a Stasi spy and later convicted of treason. — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026 Nazi counterintelligence was so brutal that the Germans couldn’t imagine enemy soldiers would want to get captured on purpose. — Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026 The more promising candidates learned advanced counterintelligence and bomb-making techniques. — Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for counterintelligence

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of counterintelligence was in 1940

Rhymes for counterintelligence

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Browse Nearby Words

counterinsurgency
counterintelligence
counterinterpretation
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Cite this Entry

“Counterintelligence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counterintelligence. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

counterintelligence

noun
coun·​ter·​in·​tel·​li·​gence ˌkau̇nt-ə-rin-ˈtel-ə-jən(t)s How to pronounce counterintelligence (audio)
: activities of an intelligence service meant to hide the truth from an enemy or to prevent the enemy from learning secret information

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