as in investigators
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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Recent Examples of detectives
Homicide detectives arrived at the scene to investigate.
—
Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
New York City detectives say they were treated rudely and disrespectfully last week after they were mistaken for federal immigration agents while seeking treatment at a hospital after an arrest.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 22 Jan. 2026
San Diego police child abuse detectives are handling the investigation.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
The police—foremost three detectives, played by John Douglas Thompson, LaChanze, and Dean Winters—lend David additional muscle.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
Chicago Police Department Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact Area 2 SVU detectives at 312-747-8274.
—Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026
Williams developed the lead that convinced LAPD detectives to head to an Oklahoma penitentiary in search of answers from their new suspect, DarraLynn Madden.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
On Monday, Miami Beach police detectives paid Raquel Pacheco a visit to ask about a critical comment that had been left under one of Meiner’s Facebook posts.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
Tipsters may also call homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043.
—Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026
Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026
New York City detectives say they were treated rudely and disrespectfully last week after they were mistaken for federal immigration agents while seeking treatment at a hospital after an arrest.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 22 Jan. 2026
San Diego police child abuse detectives are handling the investigation.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
The police—foremost three detectives, played by John Douglas Thompson, LaChanze, and Dean Winters—lend David additional muscle.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
Chicago Police Department Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact Area 2 SVU detectives at 312-747-8274.
—Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026
Williams developed the lead that convinced LAPD detectives to head to an Oklahoma penitentiary in search of answers from their new suspect, DarraLynn Madden.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2026
On Monday, Miami Beach police detectives paid Raquel Pacheco a visit to ask about a critical comment that had been left under one of Meiner’s Facebook posts.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
Tipsters may also call homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043.
—Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detectives
Noun
-
The investigators and May expressed concern that DeCristo had not addressed her actions.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Parents of students with disabilities have increasingly resorted to filing complaints with the state over their schools’ failure to educate their children, and most of the time, state investigators have agreed.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The two widows team up to become CIA operatives themselves and go undercover as secretaries in 1977's Cold War era — only to discover a conspiracy at play (and accidentally set a few bars and coats on fire).—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
16 Jan. 2026
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In 1977, Bea (Emilia Clarke) and Twila (Haley Lu Richardson) live in Moscow, working at the US Embassy while their husbands work as CIA operatives.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detectives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detectives. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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