double agent

noun

: a spy pretending to serve one government while actually serving another

Examples of double agent in a Sentence

He was secretly working as a double agent for the Americans during the war.
Recent Examples on the Web The conflict was personal; there was betrayal, a double agent, a secret team of political operatives, — and a decisive victory for one side that left the other bitter. Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 15 Apr. 2024 Spying on Franklin Franklin succeeded in securing France’s support despite the fact that he was surrounded by double agents and spies, both English and French. Vanessa Armstrong, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for double agent 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'double agent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of double agent was in 1935

Dictionary Entries Near double agent

Cite this Entry

“Double agent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double%20agent. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

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