1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To secretly examine or investigate a place before taking action, especially in a military or competitive context
"The soldiers were sent ahead to spy out the enemy's positions before the main force advanced."
separable
spy out
B2 neutral separable transitive
To investigate or reconnoitre a place or situation secretly in order to gather useful information
In plain English
To secretly explore or look around a place to find out what is there or what is happening
What does "spy out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic neutral
To gather information about a situation in order to understand it better before making a decision ('spy out the land')
"She visited the conference a day early just to spy out the land and meet potential clients."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To spy means to look covertly; 'out' suggests thoroughness or discovery — literally to look something out completely by secret means
Actually means
To secretly explore or look around a place to find out what is there or what is happening
Usage tip
Often used in military, strategic, or competitive contexts. Slightly old-fashioned in everyday speech; 'scout out' or 'check out' are more common alternatives in informal contexts. The phrase 'spy out the land' is a well-established idiom meaning to assess a situation before acting.
Words that pair with "spy out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
land territory location enemy competition weaknesses
How to conjugate "spy out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
spy out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
spies out
he/she/it
Past simple
spied out
yesterday
Past participle
spied out
have + pp
-ing form
spying out
continuous
Hear "spy out" in the wild
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