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
Determined to uncover the truth, Sarah turns to private investigator Zoë Boehm (Thompson) for help.
—
Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Nov. 2025
Phil also confirmed to WFAA that a private investigator working for the family informed him about the discovery of his mother’s Lexus.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
In the premiere of Down Cemetery Road, a desperate woman walks into a private investigator’s office.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Thompson plays Zoë Boehm, a private investigator every bit as spiky as her pixie cut.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for private investigator
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Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Nov. 2025
Phil also confirmed to WFAA that a private investigator working for the family informed him about the discovery of his mother’s Lexus.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
In the premiere of Down Cemetery Road, a desperate woman walks into a private investigator’s office.
—Judy Berman, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
Thompson plays Zoë Boehm, a private investigator every bit as spiky as her pixie cut.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2025
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 9 Nov. 2025.
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