person of interest

noun phrase

: a person who is believed to be possibly involved in a crime but has not been charged or arrested

Examples of person of interest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Investigators at the time publicly identified Conahan, who was already on Florida's death row, as a person of interest, but he was never charged. — ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026

Police said a person of interest was taken into custody and a firearm was recovered, adding the victim was hospitalized and is expected to be okay. — Adi Guajardo, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2026

Police have not announced a person of interest as of Friday afternoon, and PEOPLE did not immediately hear back regarding an update. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026

Defense protests aside, Davis was considered a person of interest in the Shakur case almost from the start. — John L. Smith, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for person of interest

• noninterest

Legal Definition

person of interest

: a person who is believed to be possibly involved in a crime but has not been charged or arrested