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

The incident is under investigation by detectives pending autopsy results, and no additional details were available Sunday morning, a police representative wrote in an email to the Tribune. — Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026

Several hours later, detectives were notified by medical staff that the man died from his injuries. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 7 Nov. 2026

The officers replayed bodycam video of their encounter to O'Neill's brother, who told detectives the man in the video was not his brother. — Logan Smith, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026

Tallahassee police detectives have reviewed digital evidence and canvassed the area, police said in a statement Sunday. — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026

While searching the area, two other detectives spotted the Chevy parked at Southwest 64th Court and 88th Street. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026

From the classic ‘Whodunit’ style to thrilling neonoirs, mystery novels have compelled readers to solve cases alongside detectives like Hercule Poirot. — Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 19 Oct. 2026

Two women are charged in the 2007 shooting death of a man during a robbery in Lauderdale Lakes after a tip led detectives to an inmate at a women’s prison in north-central Florida. — Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026

Roseville detectives posed as children on messaging apps during the investigation, which resulted in 19 people being arrested on felony charges, police said at the time. — Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2026