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
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.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI has not identified any suspects or persons of interest in the case. Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026 Earlier in the week, the sheriff’s department conducted a similar operation, briefly detaining a person of interest — later revealed as a deliveryman named Carlos — before ultimately releasing him without charges hours later. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2026 The identities of those people have not been released, and investigators have not identified any suspects or persons of interest. Liz Kreutz, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026 Authorities have not named any suspects or persons of interest in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, and no arrests have been made. Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 12 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for person of interest

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of person of interest was in 1937

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Person of interest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/person%20of%20interest. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.

Legal Definition

person of interest

: a person who is believed to be possibly involved in a crime but has not been charged or arrested
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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