: software that is installed in a computer or mobile device without the user's knowledge and that transmits information about the user's activities
Jan should scan her computer for viruses, worms, and spyware …—Kenneth Baldauf and Ralph Stair
Smartphones belonging to more than three dozen journalists, human rights activists, and business executives have been infected with powerful spyware that an Israeli firm sells, purportedly to catch terrorists and criminals, The Washington Post and other publications reported.—Dan Goodin

Examples of spyware in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Know when to seek professional help Advanced spyware may operate without obvious symptoms. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Zero-click refers to spyware that can automatically infect a device without any user interaction. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026 One of the groups Discover-Tech works with is Candiru, an Israeli spyware company that has been blacklisted by the US government. — Emma Roth, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spyware

Word History

First Known Use

1994, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spyware was in 1994

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Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

: software that is installed in a computer or mobile device without the user's knowledge and that transmits information about the user's activities

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