as in detective
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
unable to get the interest of the police, they hired a private eye to find their missing daughter
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of private eye
Nicolas Cage, in his first live-action television role, plays Ben Reilly, a down-at-the-heels private eye, spiking his morning coffee with whiskey helpfully provided by his knowing secretary, Janet (Karen Rodriguez), and barely scraping by on the occasional divorce case.
—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
Set in 1979, the series follows Leila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian young woman with a love of film and pulp novels who travels to California to reconnect with her estranged uncle – a semi-retired private eye once celebrated for having married the starlet he was originally hired to find.
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Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 May 2026
The Palladino Files – When legendary private eye Jack Palladino is murdered, one of his old targets, Ronan Farrow,takes up the case.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
Krysten Ritter plays Jessica Jones, a former superhero battling PTSD and working as a private eye.
—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for private eye
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2026
Set in 1979, the series follows Leila, a 19-year-old Pakistani-Canadian young woman with a love of film and pulp novels who travels to California to reconnect with her estranged uncle – a semi-retired private eye once celebrated for having married the starlet he was originally hired to find.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 May 2026
The Palladino Files – When legendary private eye Jack Palladino is murdered, one of his old targets, Ronan Farrow,takes up the case.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
Krysten Ritter plays Jessica Jones, a former superhero battling PTSD and working as a private eye.
—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for private eye
Recent Examples of Synonyms for private eye
Noun
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Police said there were no signs of trauma or foul play and homicide detectives are investigating.
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On June 12, detectives secured an arrest warrant for Pollock on charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, police said.
Noun
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The bicyclist died at the location, and the driver remained and is cooperating with investigators, authorities said.
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Using data collected from an educator certificate exam in 2018 that Knowles took under her own name and comparisons of check-in photos, investigators found Knowles took or tried to take the exams for multiple women and one man, according to the affidavit.
Noun
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The book introduced readers to Easy Rawlins, a private detective in mid-20th-century Watts who would go on to figure into more than 15 novels (and counting).
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The stylistic eccentricities have been dialed back, including the use of old Hollywood film clips to reflect the action and possibly the thoughts of its main character, a cinephile from space, who is both practicing and enacting the work of a private detective.
Noun
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Farrell also dished on his most recent role in season 2 of Sugar, in which the actor reprises the character of private investigator John Sugar.
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Ever since Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement, fans have turned into part-time wedding planners, part-time private investigators and full-time internet detectives.
Cite this Entry
“Private eye.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20eye. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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