PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR Synonyms: 22 Similar Words

private investigator

noun

as in detective

a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons the retired policeman decided to become a private investigator

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 private investigator Reddington tried unsuccessfully to get in contact with Thorndike after seeing the video, and eventually sent his private investigator to her house to speak to her. — Matt Schooley, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 Cage plays private investigator Ben Riley, a man who has long abandoned his alter ego. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026 Priestley and Sampson are reprising their roles as private investigators Matt Shade and Angie Everett. — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026 What begins as a brief stop turns into a much longer stay when Reacher meets Michelle Chang, a former FBI agent turned private investigator who’s searching for her missing colleague, Keever. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for private investigator

Recent Examples of Synonyms for private investigator

Noun

Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel were gathering evidence and searching for witnesses Friday afternoon.

— Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 19 Sep. 2026
No one was in custody as Belmont Area detectives continued their investigation.

— Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of detective

Noun

Yet investigators have struggled to connect Einhorn and Urich with either the Bild case or Qatargate.

— Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
Investigating the crash The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration sent investigators on Wednesday to determine what caused the a Eurocopter AS350 B2 to go down.

— Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of investigator

Noun

In the book, Liz’s private detective takes photos, which Liz cruelly passes on to Debbie.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Next month, Minotaur Books will publish the private detective mystery Killer Vibes by Jack Friday–or as readers will recognize him, John Fram.

— Caroline Reilly, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of private detective

Noun

That’s how John Sugar goes from conscientious private eye to would-be assassin.

— Andy Andersen, Vulture, 24 July 2026
There are vivid characters—the rich, distinguished crook Brandon, the platinum-blond secretary Miss Vermilyea; Javonen, ex-military intelligence, and seedy private eye from Kansas, Noble, who might have lurched out of an early Graham Greene story.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026

Definition of private eye

Browse Nearby Words

private eyes

private investigator

private investigators

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Private investigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/private%20investigator. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of private investigator

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

pundit

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes