reconnaissance

noun

Definition of reconnaissancenext
as in surveillance
military activity in which soldiers, airplanes, etc., are sent to find out information about an enemy There are two helicopters available for reconnaissance. reconnaissance missions

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of reconnaissance His statement implies that these drones are being used primarily for reconnaissance. — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Pictures of Bowie conducting reconnaissance at the Capitol and buying a list of bomb-making ingredients at a hardware store — including long nails for shrapnel — were included in the affidavit. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026 Capers and his men knew the commander was essentially using their reconnaissance team as bait to flush out the enemy forces so the regular infantry could swoop in for the kind of large battle the big-brass strategy demanded at the time. — Ethan Rocke, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026 The hackers’ system was built using open-source AI agents to automate and coordinate much of the intrusion, including reconnaissance, credential attacks and strategizing subsequent attack paths, Dream said. — John Liu, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reconnaissance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reconnaissance
  1. surveillance
  2. observation
Noun
  • In surveillance video provided by police, two young men wearing hoodies, with their hoods up, and surgical-style face masks, are seen quickly ambling down the sidewalk.
    — Lincoln Anderson, New York Daily News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Scrutinizing the Ellisons, including Oracle’s business built on data, surveillance technology and government contracts, and the serious threat to editorial freedom and the loss of a livelihood for thousands of families, is fair and necessary.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of surveillance
Noun
  • Official homeless counts show RV numbers plunging in this 400-square-mile expanse, but wild statistical swings and locals’ on-the-ground observations suggest serious miscounts and an illusory improvement.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Since its establishment in 2025, the border task force has conducted tens of thousands of detection and monitoring patrols and thousands of observation flights, the task force said.
    — Mike Stone, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of observation

Browse Nearby Words

reconfirmations
reconnaissance
reconnect
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reconnaissance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reconnaissance. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reconnaissance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reconnaissance

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