as in investigator
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons
the code used by the serial killer in his letters to the police was actually cracked by an amateur detective
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detective
Mandurah detectives are investigating, with police treating the attacks as suspicious, according to the outlet.
—
Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
The final film of legendary auteur Satoshi Kon is a completely mad confection concerning Atsuko Chiba — by day a scientist, by night a dream detective known as Paprika.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to contact the Fort Worth Police Department’s robbery detectives at 817-392-4377 or text the Crime Stoppers tip line at 817-469-TIPS.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025
Maybe archaeologists and detectives are not so different.
—JSTOR Daily, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detective
Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
The final film of legendary auteur Satoshi Kon is a completely mad confection concerning Atsuko Chiba — by day a scientist, by night a dream detective known as Paprika.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to contact the Fort Worth Police Department’s robbery detectives at 817-392-4377 or text the Crime Stoppers tip line at 817-469-TIPS.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025
Maybe archaeologists and detectives are not so different.
—JSTOR Daily, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detective
Noun
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Dramatic body cam video shows a terrified boy was being held by the throat when his knife-wielding captor was killed by a deputy, the Florida investigators say.—
Mark Price,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
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But after further investigation, Smith said that detectives determined the pedestrian was hit by only one vehicle, and that driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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For a series about misfit intelligence operatives doggedly refusing to live up to even the lowest level of their potential, Apple TV’s Slow Horses is remarkably self-actualized.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Oct. 2025
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Rightly considered a supercar in its day, Aston Martin’s DB5 is arguably the first vehicle to attain superstar status as well, thanks to playing the sidekick of covert operative James Bond in the 1964 film Goldfinger.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detective. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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