espionage
/ˈɛspɪənɑːʒ
/noun [mass noun]
The practice of spying or of using spies, typically by governments to obtain political and military information: the camouflage and secrecy of espionage...
- Balzac pumped him for information on organised crime and political espionage.
- He denied his detention had anything to do with politics or espionage.
- The run for the presidency is no joke, rife with political chicanery, espionage and blackmail.
Synonyms
spying, undercover work, cloak-and-dagger activities, surveillance, reconnaissance, intelligence, eavesdropping, infiltration, cyberespionage, counter-espionage, counter-intelligence;
in Japan ninjutsu
informal bugging, wiretapping, recon
Origin
Late 18th century: from French espionnage, from espionner 'to spy', from espion 'a spy'.