ESPYING Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

espying

verb

present participle of espy

as in noticing

to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes out of the corner of my eye I espied the squirrel making another raid on the bird feeder

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for espying

Verb

In one video from Mailung, in Nepal’s Rasuwa region, a group of construction workers was seen walking down a mountain path before noticing giant plumes of brown debris in the distance, rapidly cascading toward them.

— Laura Saravia, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
As the children played and the adults talked, Rose kept noticing her husband looking toward the water, scanning the horizon.

— Daryl Austin, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of noticing

Verb

Authorities in Indiana are warning residents to be vigilant after a person reported spotting a several-hundred-pound lioness and a large cub roaming in one central county.

— Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Your best shot at spotting a rocket launch from Jacksonville is to get as close to the beach as possible or get away from trees to get a clear view of the sky and look due south.

— Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of spotting

Verb

Lisa is seeing what this experience could be for her, which only emphasized just how bad her current situation on RHOSLC is.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Domagal-Goldman compared Roman’s capabilities to capturing an all-encompassing view of a forest as well as seeing sharp details of its trees, like leaves and birds, all at the same time.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of seeing

Verb

Investors are also eyeing a meeting of G20 finance ministers, central bank governors and others in Asheville, North Carolina.

— Sean Conlon,Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
The distributor’s event film Legend of the White Dragon is eyeing $529k from limited screenings at 596 theaters.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of eyeing

Verb

Finally, regarding Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, his tone has skewed dovish in recent months, favoring a wait-and-see approach to the impact of the Middle East conflict.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Communities from Lansing, Michigan, to Pflugerville, Texas, are ending their relationship with Flock, largely over concerns regarding out-of-control surveillance, unwanted data sharing, high expenses, and reports of police abusing the tool.

— Cyrus Farivar, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of regarding

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.

Browse Nearby Words

espy

espying

esquire

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Espying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/espying. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of espying

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes