espionage
/ˈɛspiəˌnɑʒ/
noun
- The practice of spying or using spies to obtain secret information, especially by governments or corporations.
- The agent was arrested for industrial espionage after stealing company secrets.
- Modern espionage often involves hacking computers instead of hiding in shadows.
- Espionage played a key role in the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.
Synonyms