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
Cook led the investigation into the unsolved murder of private investigator Daniel Morgan, which is also told via The Hack.
—
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2025
Public records show Shane Devon Tamura was issued a work card by the Private Investigators Licensing Board in Nevada, which regulates security guards and private investigators in the state.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 29 July 2025
Harry has been a regular in British courts in recent years, challenging both his security arrangements and tabloid newspaper publishers for allegedly hacking phones and using private investigators to snoop on his life for news stories.
—Astha Rajvanshi, NBC news, 14 July 2025
Police and a private investigator hired by the family found surveillance video showing Tarrence leaving the couple’s Airbnb in Grace Bay around 3:40 a.m. headed toward the island’s downtown area.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for private investigator
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Max Goldbart, Deadline, 4 Aug. 2025
Public records show Shane Devon Tamura was issued a work card by the Private Investigators Licensing Board in Nevada, which regulates security guards and private investigators in the state.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 29 July 2025
Harry has been a regular in British courts in recent years, challenging both his security arrangements and tabloid newspaper publishers for allegedly hacking phones and using private investigators to snoop on his life for news stories.
—Astha Rajvanshi, NBC news, 14 July 2025
Police and a private investigator hired by the family found surveillance video showing Tarrence leaving the couple’s Airbnb in Grace Bay around 3:40 a.m. headed toward the island’s downtown area.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 7 July 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 21 Aug. 2025.
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