# spying

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈspaɪ.ɪŋ/ · frequency rank #12,145

## Definitions
1. present participle and gerund of spy

## Etymology
From spy + -ing.

## Easily confused with
- **swing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spying-vs-swing)
- **sting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spying-vs-sting)
- **suing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spying-vs-suing)
- **string** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spying-vs-string)
- **staying** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spying-vs-staying)
- **styling** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spying-vs-styling)
- **swaying** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spying-vs-swaying)
- **sing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sing-vs-spying)
- **spin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spin-vs-spying)
- **Spain** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spain-vs-spying)
- **spine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spine-vs-spying)
- **spins** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spins-vs-spying)
- **sling** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sling-vs-spying)
- **spina** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spina-vs-spying)
- **spiny** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spiny-vs-spying)
- **saying** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/saying-vs-spying)
- **seeing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/seeing-vs-spying)
- **spring** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/spring-vs-spying)
- **saving** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/saving-vs-spying)
- **sprint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sprint-vs-spying)

## Common misspellings (10)
`psying`, `spiyng`, `sppying`, `spyign`, `spyingg`, `spyinng`, `spynig`, `spyying`, `sspying`, `syping`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/spying