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
The man was taken in for questioning as Calumet Area detectives investigated.
—
Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2026
Investigators learned on Tuesday that Lickhart had died from her injuries, and homicide detectives took over the case, DiMartino said.
—Nathan Pilling
march 17, Kansas City Star, 18 Mar. 2026
As their investigation continues, LBPD detectives asked anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact them at (562) 570-7355.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2026
Alameda County Sheriff’s divers and detectives — utilizing drone and motor boats — were unable to find Alam for almost a week.
—Annie Vainshtein, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Mar. 2026
Denver detectives returned to the case in late 2018 and issued a warrant for Dawson’s arrest in 2023, according to court records.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026
The investigation led detectives to suspect Berron.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
On March 6, detectives got information that the child could be in Washington County, North Carolina, officials said.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Earlier, detectives had also investigated brothers Chuck and Willis Rambo, who lived a few houses up from Christy.
—Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2026
Investigators learned on Tuesday that Lickhart had died from her injuries, and homicide detectives took over the case, DiMartino said.
—Nathan Pilling
march 17, Kansas City Star, 18 Mar. 2026
As their investigation continues, LBPD detectives asked anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact them at (562) 570-7355.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2026
Alameda County Sheriff’s divers and detectives — utilizing drone and motor boats — were unable to find Alam for almost a week.
—Annie Vainshtein, San Francisco Chronicle, 18 Mar. 2026
Denver detectives returned to the case in late 2018 and issued a warrant for Dawson’s arrest in 2023, according to court records.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026
The investigation led detectives to suspect Berron.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
On March 6, detectives got information that the child could be in Washington County, North Carolina, officials said.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Earlier, detectives had also investigated brothers Chuck and Willis Rambo, who lived a few houses up from Christy.
—Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detectives
Noun
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He was last seen running near the outdoor gear store Cabela's, but investigators learned the suspect fled the complex in an unknown direction.—
Frederick Sutton Sinclair,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
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Those statements included details that only someone involved in the killing would know, investigators said.—
Emerson Clarridge
Updated March 21,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That summer, Cohen and a team of DOGE operatives touched down at the NRC offices, a series of nondescript towers across from a Dunkin’ in suburban Maryland.—
Avi Asher-Schapiro,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
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Or for the suggestion that Chinese intelligence operatives were roaming near sensitive sites with impunity.—
Adam Ciralsky,
Vanity Fair,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detectives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detectives. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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