spies
Gatherers of secrets
Spies is the plural of spy—people who secretly gather information, typically for a government or organization: Enemy spies had infiltrated the agency.
As a verb, spies is the third-person singular of spy, meaning to observe secretly or to catch sight of: She spies on the neighbors, He spies a familiar face in the crowd.
U.S. foreign intelligence service
Covert field agent
- handlerOne who manages something
- assetItem of value owned
- moleSubterranean insectivore
- sleeperOne at rest
recruit · informant · infiltrator · defector · turncoat · courier · contact · source
Concealed from authorities
- covertIntentionally concealed
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
- incognitoWith identity concealed
- disguiseIdentity-concealing alteration
stealth · classified · concealment · encryption · decryption · cipher · cryptanalysis · anonymity
Clandestine coordinated scheming
- plotStoryline or land parcel
- schemeCalculated strategy, often secretive
- betrayalBreaking of trust
- double-crossTreacherous deception of partner
treachery · deception · sabotage · manipulation · ruse · gambit · subterfuge · disinformation
Covert message transfer location
- safehouseSecure secret shelter
- aliasAdopted false name
- legendUnverified traditional tale
- exfiltrationCovert withdrawal of people/data
cipher · codebook · microdot · cut-out · signal · extraction · debriefing · tradecraft
Hidden listening device
- eavesdropListen to private conversations
- buggingSecretly recording conversations
- CCTVSurveillance camera network
- droneUnmanned flying machine
satellite · reconnaissance · stakeout · tailing · shadowing · tracking · monitoring · observation
CIA
U.S. foreign intelligence service
operative
Covert field agent
sleeper · recruit · informant · infiltrator · defector · turncoat · courier · contact · source · plant
clandestine
Concealed from authorities
- covertIntentionally concealed
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
- incognitoWith identity concealed
disguise · stealth · classified · concealment · encryption · decryption · cipher · cryptanalysis · anonymity · hidden
conspiracy
Clandestine coordinated scheming
double-cross · treachery · deception · sabotage · manipulation · ruse · gambit · subterfuge · disinformation · blackmail
dead-drop
Covert message transfer location
exfiltration · cipher · codebook · microdot · cut-out · signal · extraction · debriefing · tradecraft · compartmentalization
wiretap
Hidden listening device
- eavesdropListen to private conversations
- buggingSecretly recording conversations
- CCTVSurveillance camera network
drone · satellite · reconnaissance · stakeout · tailing · shadowing · tracking · monitoring · observation · snooping
- espionagedouble agent, double agents, moles, secret agents, tradecraft
- wartimerationing, war economy, war bonds, war effort, evacuations
- secrecy in literaturemystery, secrets, thriller, whodunit, detective fiction
- spy thrillerdouble agents, covert ops, undercover, classified, code names
- court intrigueintrigue, plots, schemes, plotting, conspiracy
- cybercriminalshacker, hackers, scammer, scammers, phishers
spiesdiplomats
Foreign government representatives
ambassadors · public servants · public officials · journalists · public figures
spiesloyalists
Faithful to established authority
patriots · true believers · defenders · guardians · protectors
spiessecurity guards
Personnel protecting property
security personnel · gatekeepers · sentinels · watchmen · censors
- industrial spiesTheft operatives targeting businesses
- Bridge of Spies2015 espionage legal drama
- atomic spiesThose who leaked bomb secrets