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
Wentworth Area detectives were investigating.
—
Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
The pair of Brooklyn North narcotics detectives involved in the clash thought the man matched the description of someone who had just made a drug sale, a police source said.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026
An investigation by Wentworth Area detectives is ongoing.
—Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
When Floyd is found dead at a community pool surrounded by a poisonous cocktail and a vintage Playgirl magazine, two detectives (Richard Jenkins and Joy Sunday) begin unraveling the bizarre chain of events that led to his death.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026
Tipsters may also call homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043.
—Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
In 2022, six weeks after a new police commissioner formed the Gilgo Beach task force, detectives identified Heuermann as a suspect by using a vehicle registration database to connect him to a pickup truck that a witness reported seeing when one of the victims disappeared in 2010.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Denver homicide detectives, the Colorado State Patrol and Colorado Bureau of Investigation will investigate the shooting and present the results to the Denver District Attorney’s Office, Thomas said.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
Following his arrest in 2023, detectives spent nearly two weeks scouring the backyard of Heuermann’s family home.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
The pair of Brooklyn North narcotics detectives involved in the clash thought the man matched the description of someone who had just made a drug sale, a police source said.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026
An investigation by Wentworth Area detectives is ongoing.
—Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
When Floyd is found dead at a community pool surrounded by a poisonous cocktail and a vintage Playgirl magazine, two detectives (Richard Jenkins and Joy Sunday) begin unraveling the bizarre chain of events that led to his death.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026
Tipsters may also call homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043.
—Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
In 2022, six weeks after a new police commissioner formed the Gilgo Beach task force, detectives identified Heuermann as a suspect by using a vehicle registration database to connect him to a pickup truck that a witness reported seeing when one of the victims disappeared in 2010.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Denver homicide detectives, the Colorado State Patrol and Colorado Bureau of Investigation will investigate the shooting and present the results to the Denver District Attorney’s Office, Thomas said.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2026
Following his arrest in 2023, detectives spent nearly two weeks scouring the backyard of Heuermann’s family home.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detectives
Noun
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The suspect accused of leading troopers on a police chase through Buckhead before crashing at one of the area's busiest intersections has now been identified, according to an update from investigators.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile, Operation Sideswipe kept expanding and racking up prosecutorial victories, building off the work of private-sector investigators and lawyers for the trucking companies.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Gilead killed Mel and Neil for being secret Mayday operatives, which Daisy can’t quite believe of her parents, who were polite even to Pearl Girls.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Agnes, the well-to-do daughter of a Commander who is nearly ready to be married off herself; and Daisy, a teenager from Canada who realizes her parents were part of the Mayday resistance just after they are murdered by Gilead operatives.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detectives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detectives. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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