private investigator
noun
: a person not a member of a police force who is licensed to do detective work (such as investigation of suspected wrongdoing or searching for missing persons)
Examples of private investigator in a Sentence
She hired a private investigator to follow her husband.
the retired policeman decided to become a private investigator
Recent Examples on the Web
Our everyman is Ben Reilly — played by the incomparable Nicolas Cage, making his live-action television debut — a private investigator who moonlights as the city’s only superhero, the Spider.
—
Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Over 13 days of testimony, the Summit County Attorney’s Office called more than 40 witnesses, including Eric Richins’ grieving family members, people who exchanged the illicit drugs said to have killed him, Kouri Richins’ paramour and a private investigator hired by the victim’s family.
—Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
The classic series starred Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a former Naval officer and skilled private investigator in Hawaii.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 5 May 2026
The report wasn’t news to NFL teams, which routinely employ private investigators to dig into draft prospects and compile detailed reports on their backgrounds.
—Zak Keefer, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for private investigator
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Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Over 13 days of testimony, the Summit County Attorney’s Office called more than 40 witnesses, including Eric Richins’ grieving family members, people who exchanged the illicit drugs said to have killed him, Kouri Richins’ paramour and a private investigator hired by the victim’s family.
—Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
The classic series starred Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a former Naval officer and skilled private investigator in Hawaii.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 5 May 2026
The report wasn’t news to NFL teams, which routinely employ private investigators to dig into draft prospects and compile detailed reports on their backgrounds.
—Zak Keefer, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for private investigator
Cite this Entry
“Private investigator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/private%20investigator. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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