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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Among them was Yugoslavian playboy Dusko Popov, a real-life double agent. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 12 May 2025 Samia’s fate remains unknown as she’s reported to be be held in the Sudanese prison Kober, known for its treacherous conditions, which is the intel that leads Martian to surrender to James Richardson’s (Hugh Bonneville) condition to become a double agent. Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 24 Apr. 2025 The double agent Clive arouses Jake’s suspicion immediately, and Sheriff McDowell vouches for him despite being unable to distinguish an Irish accent from a Scottish one. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2025 Fassbender’s character, George Woodhouse, is tasked with finding out the identity of a double agent who is trying to sell a deadly cyberweapon to foreign buyers. Brent Lang, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for double agent

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Double agent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double%20agent. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on double agent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!