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

Farinacci often spent days and even weeks scouting potential fire locations, monitoring weather and wildfire data, and planning to set multiple fires to stretch firefighting resources thin, according to detectives. — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department detectives have launched an investigation after a man was found dead in Santa Clarita on Sunday morning. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026

The Southeastern Connecticut Regional Traffic Unit were on scene as well as accident reconstructionist from the Groton and Ledyard police departments as well as detectives from the Groton Police Department Criminal Investigation Division. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026

Late Friday, a police spokesman said Calumet Area (Area 5) detectives are conducting a criminal investigation. — Evgenia Anastasakos, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026

Cynthia also thanked the KCSO detectives for finally solving the case. — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026

Hicks said detectives are working to determine Williams' motives, and said the suspect's family was cooperating fully with law enforcement. — ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026

Her large flat-screen living room television was missing, leading detectives at the time to surmise the killer may have known that footage from the victim’s surveillance cameras could be watched on that TV. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Aug. 2026

The Santa Cruz Police Department announced that detectives served search warrants in Santa Cruz and Watsonville as part of the ongoing investigation into the shooting in the 500 block of Errett Circle. — Bay City News, Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2026