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)

Synonyms

• detective
• investigator
• private detective
• private eye

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

As his story gained traction, even a private investigator reached out to help find the lost dog. —Luke Chinman, People.com, 1 Aug. 2025

The family's private investigator, Carl DeFazio, told Fox News Digital that the couple went boating the day before the tech executive went missing. —Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 16 July 2025

But his most exciting job is as a private investigator. —Richard Johnson, New York Daily News, 6 July 2025

Following her disappearance, the story shifted to private investigator Milton Arbogast (Martin Balsam), Marion’s lover Sam Loomis (John Gavin) and her sister Lila (Vera Miles), who investigate her disappearance. —Marc Berman, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for private investigator

• accelerator
• accumulator
• adjudicator
• administrator
• appropriator
• articulator
• attenuator
• bronchodilator
• collaborator
• communicator
• conciliator
• cooperator

Kids Definition

private investigator

noun

: a person who does detective work and is not a member of a police force

Legal Definition

private investigator

noun

: a person not a member of a police force who is licensed to do detective work (as investigation of suspected wrongdoing or searching for missing persons)