Synonyms of detectives

detectives

noun

plural of detective

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• investigators
• operatives
• sleuths
• dicks
• gumshoes
• private investigators
• private detectives
• private eyes
• sleuthhounds
• sherlocks
• shadows
• tracers
• hawkshaws
• trackers
• shamuses
• plainclothesmen
• feds
• narcs
• Federals
• tails
• G-men

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of detectives

Back at his Brickell apartment, detectives searched the unit after a judge signed off on a warrant. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026

About a month after Craig’s death, police homicide detectives released security camera video of a suspect in the Oak Park fatal shooting. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Police said homicide detectives were called to the scene and a person of interest was detained. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2026

Psychiatrists need to be good detectives during the entire process, even after a patient is on a medicine. — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

Instead, detectives say the group used falsified invoices and documents and transferred cash into personal bank accounts. — Chelsea Jones, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026

His support of his ex-wife has been twisted around by citizen detectives who have accused Patrick of money-grabbing. — Addie Morfoot, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026

Giordano said Vasquez and Felix were arrested on Saturday after being interviewed for the first time by detectives about the incident. — Tristan Maglunog, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026